Scared Money Never Wins
by mrsbeas
Summary: Edward loves Vegas, but it's not nearly as fun when you're traveling for a work conference. Will he find a suitable way to distract himself from his co-workers? AH, AU, Edward/Jasper SLASH!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story is slash, so if you're not a fan, feel free to stop reading now. This is dedicated to my BFF Christy for encouraging my smutty hobby, and to Stu, who let me get him drunk and ask ridiculously inappropriate questions about his sex life... yeah, for the story, sure... You guys rock! Also, a quick shout-out to Alex and Corey for unwittingly inspiring this little plot bunny...  
><strong>

**And a huge thank you to my awesome beta, cocoalvin, who is amazingly patient with my comma-h00ring ways, and did a great job whipping this story into shape! Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**

**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except a slightly unhealthy love of playing blackjack.  
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><p>I have always loved Vegas.<p>

People visited the city for a couple of days, engaged in outrageous, and generally brainless, behavior, then returned to their boring, respectable lives, as if nothing happened. You could turn into a douchebag, act like a whore, experiment with drugs and no one would blink an eye.

However, on this trip to Vegas I would be attending the Consumer Electronics Show on behalf of Clearwater Funds, where I worked as an analyst, which meant that there would be very little of that excitement for me. There's not much that's debauched about the CES, unless you count a bunch of nerds jizzing in their pants over the Android Tablet as a perverse form of entertainment.

On that particular weekend, in an ironic twist of scheduling fate, the event coincided with the AVN Awards, also known as the Adult Video News Awards although I'm not entirely sure what news has to do with it. Porn stars and nerds descended upon Vegas, and both groups were looking to reward the best in their respective fields while simultaneously trying to find the next big thing. The nerds salivated over obscenely large-breasted, fake-tanned women in barely there dresses and occasionally, one would come home with a story of actually sleeping with one of them.

Of course, no one believed them.

In any case, the AVNs did nothing for me, because last I checked, there was no category for best anal. Actually, there was, but a woman was required to be included.

Like I said, did nothing for me.

I was simply there to take a look at various new electronics product offerings being showcased and decide if they might create enough of a boost in their respective company's balance sheet to cause a significant rise in the price of the stock. If so, I'd give it a buy recommendation.

It was much less exciting than a trip to Vegas should be.

Walking through the airport terminal, you could practically see the repressed sexual energy buzzing in the air. On the short flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas the party had already begun, and on a Tuesday evening, no less. Nerds were downing Jack and Cokes on the flight like they were going out of style and comparing smartphones as if they represented dick size.

I kept my nose buried in a spreadsheet.

Upon arrival, I quickly checked into my room at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and took a little time to relax before facing my co-workers. A team building dinner was scheduled at eight o'clock, and as the time neared I showered and donned my business casual best: dark gray suit, white button down shirt, black shoes, no tie. Grabbing my wallet, I took one last look in the mirror before making my way to Aureole, the seafood restaurant located in the hotel.

Arriving a few minutes early, I waited for the others at the bar, taking a moment to text my friend and fellow analyst, Bella Swan, to find out if she was on her way. Working in the incredibly conservative field of finance, I just happened to be closer to Bella than the other guys in the office. One of the reasons being, that they seemed to be stuck in a perpetual state of frat life.

Of course, it worked for them because much of this industry continued to function like an old boys' club. Most company research trips that we attended included expensive dinners, late night drinks, cigars, and an occasional trip to a club. But, I preferred to keep a clearly defined line between my work life and social life. To be honest, I didn't know what these guys would do if, while they were at a bar trying to pick up chicks, I was making out with some dude in the corner. They may have felt uncomfortable.

Just a bit.

Bella understood, because it had been pretty difficult for her to break into the club as well, but for very different reasons. Since she was a woman, people always assumed she was a secretary or an assistant, when in reality, she was better at this job than ninety percent of the guys on our payroll. Yes, the double standard was alive and well, in case there were any concerns that it may have disappeared.

Placing my order for a Johnnie Walker Black on the rocks, I had only taken a small sip before hearing the raucous laughter of my co-workers.

"Hey, Eddie!" yelled Mike Newton, clear across the restaurant, waving, as if I could have possibly missed him.

I'd lost count of how many times I'd asked him not to call me that and haven't quite decided if he does it simply to annoy me, or out of camaraderie. Either way, I'd prefer that he didn't. Is it really that difficult to sound out two syllables? Bella had become Bells, Tyler was Ty, and James was, well, still was just James.

They came over to the bar and ordered drinks as we waited for Bella to arrive.

"Man," started Mike. Ah, yes, we were about to be imparted with some words of wisdom here. "Why are chicks always late? Is it physically impossible for them to read the hands on a watch? Maybe they should be required to wear digital."

Unfortunately, at least for Mike, he didn't notice that Bella had arrived, and was silently standing behind him, bitch brow cocked. The funny thing was, we all knew that Mike had a crush on Bella. If she ever wore her hair in pigtails to the office, he'd be first in line to give one a yank, then run away and hide.

"Pleasure to see you as well, Mike." His face blanched. "Sorry for the delay, it took a little longer than I expected getting an appointment for a Brazilian at the hotel spa. Shall we sit?" she asked, smiling sweetly, knowing she succeeded in both embarrassing and turning him on at the same time.

She then turned and walked away, letting the hostess know to move the bar tab over to our table. Everyone followed obediently, while I snickered under my breath. That girl could pull all these guys in line faster than a nun with a switch.

Following a delicious meal where we mostly discussed what exhibits we planned to see tomorrow, Bella and I told the group that we were going to call it a night, while they headed out to the hotel casino. Or so they said. Chances were that hotel casino was code for strip club. As soon as they were out of sight, I turned toward Bella and asked, "So, really, what are we going to do now that the frat party has left?"

"Hmmm…" she said, "should we head over to another hotel to have a drink? I don't want to be out too late tonight, but could handle another round."

"Yes. Bellagio?" I asked.

"Lead the way, sir."

A short cab ride later, we were sitting in the bar discussing Bella's love life. Or rather, lack of. Not that I was currently in any better position than she was. I couldn't even remember the last time I went on a date. Not to mention a good date. Or second date.

"So, I don't know what to do about Jake," she whined. "Is he ever going to get the hint and ask me out? He's so fucking hot, but not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, you know?"

I'm sure that Bella continued to talk, I was aware of her voice humming in the background, but when a man standing over her shoulder caught my eye, I stopped hearing anything she said. He was fucking gorgeous. Tall, with blond wavy hair, and a wide smile stretched across his lightly tanned face. His pale blue v-neck sweater fit perfectly across his chest, hinting at the trim physique underneath. The jeans he wore hugged his ass beautifully and…

"Edward!" Bella snapped her fingers in front of my face, causing me to blink rapidly as my vision refocused to her. "What the fuck are you looking at?"

She turned in the direction I had been staring and let out a low whistle, while my cheeks burned at getting caught ogling this man. "Wow," she said. "Do you think he's gay?"

"Considering what's going on here this week? He's totally straight, I'm sure. Although, he's got to be the hottest nerd I've ever seen."

"That's for fuckin' sure," she responded, smiling. "Screw Jake. Maybe I should try my luck with him."

Looking at my watch, I told her, "Sorry to rain on your parade, sweetheart, but we're officially up past our bedtime. We should get back before we turn into a couple of pumpkins."

"Ugh, fine, Cullen. I didn't realize we were hanging out in the no fun zone of Vegas. Lame."

"You'll thank me tomorrow morning when you don't have a hangover while listening to some nerd extolling the benefits of operating in The Cloud," I laughed. "Let's go." I snuck one last peek over to the table where the beautiful man sat, then Bella and I hopped into a cab and made our way back to our rooms.

Once in bed, I was unable to turn my mind off and go to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes I pictured that guy, which led to a problematic situation in my boxers. It was ridiculous, I mean, I hadn't even spoken to him. With a slightly frustrated sigh, I decided to take care of the problem and got up to grab some lube out of my bag.

Just because I was in Vegas to work, didn't mean that I shouldn't be prepared, right?

Squeezing some lube into my right hand, I coated my dick, closed my eyes, and let the fantasy unfold. I imagined him crawling up the bed, settling between my thighs and whispering, "Edward, do you want me to suck your cock?"

I could practically feel his warm breath blowing across my skin.

"Yes!" I begged.

Running his tongue from base to tip, he would stop to flick the sensitive fold of skin below my head as I watched him. Then, he would take me into his mouth, slowly swirling his tongue around the tip, before lowering his mouth down my shaft, farther and farther, until I hit the back of his throat.

Mmm… so fucking good.

But I was too turned on to continue with a detailed fantasy. It was time to get this done, quick and dirty. I grasped my dick with both hands, and started thrusting into my slick fists.

I imagined that I was fucking his mouth, and he took every inch of my cock down his throat, over and over, while my fingers tangled in his blond curls.

Focusing on the tip with my right hand, I started to twist my wrist slightly on each pass. Fuck, I was already so close. I moaned loudly as the tight coil of tension in my lower belly released, my shoulders lifting off the bed as I painted my chest with cum.

_Christ, that felt fucking good._

It must've been some sort of record for fastest jerk-off. Not that I was proud of that, but luckily I didn't have anyone to impress with my sexual prowess that evening. Letting out a deep breath, I took a moment to let my heart rate calm before heading into the bathroom to clean up. When I climbed back into the bed, I barely remembered to set the alarm before falling asleep.

~O~

The next morning, I met Bella for breakfast before we headed to the show. As we walked in, I scanned the crowd, slowly taking in my surroundings. There was an excited buzz humming though the hall and the sheer number of people filling the convention center was almost overwhelming. Thankfully, I had taken time to map out the locations of the booths I wanted to visit beforehand, so I knew where I was going, rather than wandering around the room like a deer in headlights like most of the nerd herd.

As we stood at one of the Sony booths listening to a rep discuss some new developments in 3D technology, I heard Bella mutter, "No fucking way," and noticed her looking at something behind me. When I turned to find out what she'd spotted, I knew instantly what she was referring to.

It was the gorgeous guy from last night.

Dressed in a casual outfit of gray wool trousers with a trim cut, showing off his finer, um, assets, along with a blue button down dress shirt.

_Oh, unf._

He was talking to some guy but must have felt our eyes on him, because his head quickly darted in our direction to catch us staring. When he made eye contact with me, I stood frozen in place by the most vibrant, piercing baby blues I'd ever seen. Of course, Bella _had _to draw more attention to us by laughing loudly as I blushed and looked away, mortified at getting caught. But not before I saw him smirking.

The important question being, was the smirk for me or Bella?

Shaking my head, I turned back to Bella. "I swear you're the least subtle person I've ever met."

"Oh, lighten up, Edward. That was hilarious," she retorted, still snickering.

I responded with a nasty look, as my cheeks continued to burn.

Peeking back in his direction, I tried to make eye contact again, but he was already walking away from us to the next booth. Well, at least I could now stare at his ass shamelessly.

A few hours later, we headed back to the hotel. Dinner was with the group again tonight, and rested in the room for a bit before we met up.

We discussed our opinions on some of the products we'd seen today over another delicious meal and again the guys went out to do lord knows what, while Bella and I ended up back at the Bellagio.

What?

It was my favorite casino, and I planned to do a little gambling on this trip. It had nothing to do with possibly seeing that gorgeous man again.

Nope.

Who was I kidding? We stopped at the bar for a drink while I slyly searched the vicinity for the blond. But, no such luck. He was nowhere to be seen, so I went to peruse the blackjack tables, while Bella spent some quality time with a video poker machine.

The casino was packed, but I spied an empty seat across the room. The table looked fun, with players cheering and high-fiving each other, so I walked over, draped my jacket across the back of a chair, and introduced myself to the group. After about an hour of playing, Bella tracked me down to let me know she was going back to the hotel, warning me not to stay up too late. Players came and went and I was about to call it a night along with the gentleman vacating the seat next to me, but decided to play just one more hand.

Greatest decision ever.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and a shiver ran down my spine when a smooth voice, carrying a light Texas twang, asked, "Is this seat taken?" As I looked up to see who could possibly be the bearer of that seductive drawl, my eyes opened wide in surprise.

_Holy fuck. It's him._

Quickly composing myself, I answered, "Nope, it's all yours," and flashed a smile in his direction.

The table was full, so when he sat next to me, his chair was so close that his leg brushed against mine. When he left it there, I couldn't if it was on purpose or not.

"Hey ya'll," he started. "How's the table been tonight?"

A girl from the opposite side of the table chimed in, "Oh, it's been up and down, but I have a feeling you'll be bringing us some luck." She was practically leering at him and I felt an irrational stab of jealousy.

"I'll do my best, darlin' " he responded, with a wink. Was he flirting with her? I couldn't tell. My gaydar had never been quite this confused before and it was driving me fucking nuts. I didn't think my alcohol-induced buzz was helping to clarify the matter either.

As we put our bets out for the next hand, he turned toward me and said, "Hi, there. I'm Jasper. Jasper Whitlock." God, his drawl was so fucking sexy.

"Pleasure to meet you, Jasper." I loved the way his name sounded, rolling off my tongue. It was so unusual. "My name's Edward Cullen."

"Edward, the pleasure is all mine." His knee pressed into mine. Shit, now was he flirting with me? I couldn't be sure.

Barely looking at the table, we both stayed on our crappy hands with the dealer showing a five. The dealer busted. Seemed like the table was getting lucky, indeed.

"Edward, you're here for the CES?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Busted. He must've remembered me from the Sony exhibit earlier.

My cheeks flushed pink, and I fumbled through my answer. "Um, yes. I'm an, uh, analyst for the tech sector in my company. You?"

"I'm attending… more as a fan. Christ, that sounded nerdy," he laughed in a deep, rumbling tone. Fuck, even his laugh was sexy.

I smiled at his admission as we placed another bet. "Where are you from, Jasper?"

"Los Angeles. I drove out yesterday. You?"

"San Francisco. What do you do out there?"

He started to reply, "I work in the film industry," but before he could continue, the dealer interrupted, asking if Jasper wanted to take a hit. He declined.

The dealer busted again, and Jasper clapped his hand on my back as we cheered with the rest of the table. When he pulled his hand back, it dragged across my shoulder and down my arm, causing a wake of goose bumps to follow its path.

I'm sure he noticed my shiver.

A few rounds later, I checked my watch and was surprised to find that it was almost midnight. _Shit_. I had to get to bed, but there was no way I could leave now before finding out if he might be interested in me. As I was debating what both my dick and I wanted to do—stay with Jasper—against what the responsible thing was—return to the hotel and sleep—something brushed against my thigh. To my right, Jasper's eyes were facing forward and his hand rested on his leg, but there was an undeniable smirk crossing his face.

Sure, it could've been a mistake, but I was pretty sure that he brushed me on purpose this time.

Emboldened by the prospect, I lightly nudged Jasper's arm to get his attention while the dealer passed out the next round of cards. When he turned toward me, I leaned in closely, letting my breath wash over his skin, and asked, indicating toward his cards, "I just wanted to get your opinion on twelves. Are you the kind of guy who always hits, never hits, or goes with his gut?"

"Well," he responded lowly, stretching his arm around the back of my chair and turning into me, "You know they call twelves the dealer's ace." I laughed as he continued. "If the dealer's showing a two and you assume a twelve, there is still a seventy percent chance that the next card will not bust them. Now, I'm a bit of a gambler by nature, but the laws of probability rely on consistency. I'm never one to shy away from a challenge though, so I always hit." My nose was practically nuzzled into his neck, and his subtle, masculine scent of citrus and wood threatened to intoxicate me. My lips were so close to his face that if I turned just slightly the scratchy skin of his jaw would be within reach of my tongue.

"Sir?" The dealer interrupted the train of my thoughts.

"Case in point." he said, removing his arm from my chair and lightly stroking the felt of the table with his middle finger. _A nine_. "Scared money never wins, Edward," he commented with a wink.

He was fucking killing me.

Again, I felt his fingers brush against me as his hand settled back on his leg. This time though, they remained, the back of his fingers brushing back and forth against my leg as he stroked the side of his thigh. I knew this game. If I moved away, he could claim that it was an accident.

Instead, I let my leg fall open farther, pressing into him and with a sideways glance I confirmed a smile on his face. He let his hand drift to the top of his own leg, pushing the tips of his fingers over to mine. When he saw that the gesture was welcome, he continued moving his hand so that his palm rested on my leg, fingertips now grazing the inside of my knee.

It appeared that the question of his sexuality had finally been answered and my dick began to harden immediately in response. As we were being dealt a fresh round of cards Jasper dragged his hand further up my leg. The dealer was coming around the table asking each player if they would like to hit or pass and I couldn't even find it in me to care when some idiot stayed on fifteen against the dealer's seven. I didn't care about anything other than how fucking hot it was that Jasper was touching me this way, in front of all these people. My dick was now fully hard, inches away from his fingertips as he took a card. Then the dealer turned to me.

At the exact moment that he said, "Congratulations, Sir," Jasper let his pinkie graze the tip of my cock, causing me to gasp loudly.

I hadn't even noticed the blackjack in front of me. Luckily, everyone else at the table thought I was gasping at my hand. That couldn't have been further from the truth.

I didn't give a shit about the fucking blackjack.

Jasper then turned to me and said, "Nice job," lightly brushing his fingers back and forth over the head of my dick.

_How can he be so fucking composed right now?_

I pulled back my winnings, no longer caring about the game. At the same time, Jasper turned toward the dealer and asked, "Hey, buddy, can you color me up?"

"Yeah, me too," I jumped in. "Got to be up early for the show tomorrow," I added, peeking toward Jasper out of the corner of my eyes.

We took our chips and stepped away from the table as I wondered aloud, "Where do you think the cashier is in the place?"

Instead of answering, Jasper stepped in close and said, "Edward, come upstairs with me."

There was no hesitation in my voice when I responded, "Okay."

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This story is slash, so if you're not a fan, feel free to stop reading now. This is dedicated to my BFF Christy for encouraging my smutty hobby, and to my friend Stu, who let me get him drunk and ask ridiculously inappropriate questions about his sex life... yeah, for the story, sure... You guys rock! Also, a quick shout-out to Alex and Corey for unwittingly inspiring this little plot bunny...  
><strong>

**And a huge thank you to my awesome beta, cocoalvin, who is amazingly patient with my comma-h00ring ways, and did a great job whipping this story into shape! Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**

**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except the craps table at the Gold Coast Casino in Vegas. Well, at least one night I did.  
><strong>

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><p><em>We took our chips and stepped away from the table as I wondered aloud, "Where do you think the cashier is in the place?" <em>

_Instead of answering, Jasper stepped in close and said, "Edward, come upstairs with me."_

_There was no hesitation in my voice when I responded, "Okay."_

~O~

Jasper grabbed my hand and led me into the elevator, then down the long hallway to his room. As we walked, his demeanor oozed confidence and ease, while I started to second-guess my actions, over-thinking as usual. I didn't usually do this sort of thing, sleep with a guy I'd only known for an hour, but something was inexplicably drawing me to Jasper. And maybe, because I never did this sort of thing, it was exactly why I wanted to.

Jasper opened the door and beckoned me inside with a tilt of his head. When he closed the door and turned around, I made no attempt to hide the fact that I was admiring his long, lean form. A smirk crossed his face and his eyes turned absolutely feral. One foot in front of the other, he gracefully approached until he was standing right in front of me, his face just inches away from mine.

He grabbed at my waist, pulling my hips into his, and ran his nose along my jaw, breathing me in. My breath hitched at the feel of his cock, so fucking hard, brushing against mine. Electricity crackled between our bodies, and my skin buzzed with anticipation.

I whispered his name as his lips left a damp trail across my cheek, stopping when they reached mine. There was no pressure, just our panting breaths tickling each other's skin.

I'm not sure which one of us snapped first.

We became all hands, tongues and teeth; touching, biting and licking every surface of each other within reach. My hands plunged into his soft curls, pulling his lips to mine in a bruising kiss, while he un-tucked my shirt and pushed his fingers underneath, scratching at my lower back with his short, blunt fingernails. His fingertips tickled the skin of my hips, before dragging his hands up to my nipples and pinching lightly, the slight flash of pain turning them into tight nubs.

I gasped, bucking my hips, seeking more friction for my aching cock as he began unbuttoning my shirt.

"You know," he whispered into my ear, pulling the shirt off my shoulders. "I was stuck walking around the CES with a raging hard on after I caught you eye-fucking me. I wanted to drag you off the floor and pull you into the nearest restroom. I wanted to fuck your pretty mouth, while you looked up at me with those gorgeous green eyes."

_Fuck_.

I dropped to my knees in front of him.

"Do it now."

"Oh, fuck, yes." He groaned loudly as I palmed his cock hard with my left hand, and using the other I undid his pants and pulled them down. Nuzzling my nose into his crotch, I inhaled his musky scent before licking up his length, my tongue catching on the soft cotton of his dark gray briefs. My hands trailed up the back of his muscular thighs to the waistband, while I gently suckled at the tip of his covered cock. I ran my fingers back and forth under the elastic a few times, eliciting a growl from Jasper.

"Stop fuckin' teasin' me, Edward. _Please_." His drawl was thick with desire.

With a smile, I hooked my fingers into his briefs, pulling them down and freeing his cock. Swirling my tongue around the head a few times, I let my mouth pool with saliva, and then plunged down on him.

"Aw, fuck!" he cried.

His fingers tangled into my hair as he slowly thrust into my mouth. When I looked across the hard planes of his body to his face, the intensity of his gaze almost took my breath away. I closed my eyes, letting him take over and guide my motions until my jaw started to ache. With one last lick from my tongue, I released Jasper from my mouth and he pulled me up to stand in front of him.

"Your mouth should be fucking illegal," he moaned, leading me over to the bed. When my knees hit the edge, he mumbled into my ear, "I want you so fucking bad right now. Top or bottom? I don't care," while pulling supplies out of his nightstand.

_Oh my god. I'm really going to do this._

And somehow, the word "bottom" just fell out of my mouth, before consulting my brain. In most of my past relationships I'd tended to fall into the role of a top, even though I'd never minded switching. But when I looked into his lust-filled blue eyes, my decision was confirmed. I didn't know what was going to happen, but it was sure to be explosive.

"Well, now that's settled, lie down so I can eat some of that sexy ass."

_Oh, fuck yes!_

I lay down on my back, my head propped up on a pillow, while Jasper settled between my thighs. First, he lapped at the sides of my cock, wetting it thoroughly. Then, he took me into his mouth, my cock sliding along his tongue until I reached the back of his throat, just like my fantasy the night before.

Jesus fucking Christ, it was hot.

He hollowed his cheeks, sucking up and down on my length, and my hips began to involuntarily thrust against him. His tongue trailed down to my balls, sucking each one into his mouth briefly. Pushing my thighs apart, he tickled the sensitive skin behind them until his tongue reached my entrance. Jasper quickly flicked his tongue back and forth before pressing it flat against the skin and dragging along my hole with long languid licks. His right hand wrapped around my weeping cock, stroking me slowly. When he started thrusting his tongue inside of me at the same time, I had to stop him before I came.

"Jasper, wait..." I cried out. "Come here... I don't want to come yet."

He stopped his actions and said, "Don't worry, baby, I'll take care of you," stretching his lithe body up the bed until he was lying next to me. I nearly groaned out loud when I heard the click of the lube cap, knowing what was coming next. Jasper coaxed me onto my side, and pulled my leg across his hip before snaking his hand between our bodies. A cool, wet finger pressed against my hole, rubbing in soft circles before breaching the tight ring of muscle and pushing inside my body. A second finger joined the first shortly after and my body welcomed the delicious burn that accompanied the stretching sensation.

"More please," I quietly begged, pressing my lips to his in a fierce kiss. He curled his fingers deep inside of me, quickly finding my prostate and rubbing against it. A jolt of pleasure shot through my body and my back arched toward him as I cried out, urging him closer to me with the leg draped across his waist.

"Mmm, looks like I found your sweet spot, Edward. Does that feel good?" he asked, his breath cool against the heated skin of my neck.

"Fuck, yes," I moaned as he pressed a third finger inside me. My head lolled back onto the pillow, unable hold myself up anymore.

"So fucking tight, Edward. I can't wait to be inside of you."

Jasper pulled his fingers out of my body and guided me onto my back, kissing my lips softly. He then grabbed a condom and tore open the package, rolling it down his length and coating himself in lube. Sitting up on his knees between my legs, he lined himself up with my entrance and rubbed the head of his cock back and forth several times against me. Impatiently, I pressed my heels against his back, silently urging him to hurry.

Finally, he started pressing into me. I took a deep breath to relax as he slowly pushed through my body's resistance. Once he was fully seated inside of me, he stopped briefly and allowed me to adjust to his size, stroking my cock and playing with my nipples to distract me as the pressure quickly became pleasure. Heat crept up my torso, across my chest and into my cheeks, covering my skin in a rosy flush, and with a moan I shifted my hips against Jasper's body, letting him know that I was ready for him to move. Hooking his arms around my thighs, he pushed my legs toward my chest, folding me in half, and then captured my lips in a sensuous kiss.

Jasper began to thrust into me with a steady rhythm, and I tucked my face into his neck, his sweaty, salty skin sliding against my cheek. Enthralled by the sound of our slapping skin, I tried to sneak a hand between our bodies to stroke my aching cock, but Jasper released my legs and grabbed my wrists, pinning them over my head. Holding me down, he drove into me, over and over, my body bouncing under his sudden attack.

"You feel so fucking good, Edward, but I'm not ready for you to come just yet." He slowed his rhythm, tangling his fingers into my hair, and forcing my eyes to meet his. Circling his hips with deep, unhurried thrusts, he brought me back from the edge, yet again.

"Oh, God, Jasper, what are you doing to me? So… fucking… good." I was a whimpering mess.

"Yeah?" he whispered against my lips. "Well, hold on tight, baby." He pushed up onto his hands and hooked his arm around my right leg, lifting it to rest against his shoulder. Then he grabbed onto the headboard with both hands, and began pounding into me, tapping my prostate with each thrust.

I hardly recognized the high-pitched keening sounds coming from my mouth as my own.

This time, when I reached for my cock, he didn't stop me. I grasped my shaft tightly and pulled in short, quick strokes. "Oh, fuck. Yes, fuck yes," I cried out, chasing my orgasm.

Suddenly, my whole body lit up. I opened my mouth to cry out, but no sound came. Tightly fisting the head of my cock, my body tensed, and then everything exploded around me. It felt as if every muscle in my body was trembling as wave after wave of pleasure came over me.

When I stopped convulsing and became aware of my surroundings again, I noticed that Jasper's cock had slipped from my body and my leg had fallen off his shoulder, settling around his waist. He was still positioned above me, hands on the headboard, curls falling into his face as he panted, watching me intensely. I still hadn't completely stopped quivering, and as I looked up into his eyes, another set of shivers ran down my spine.

"Fuck," I croaked, my voice hoarse. Jasper's hard dick was resting against my ass, his eyes blazing with lust. I pulled his hips against me, muttering, "Fuck, yes. Fuck, yes."

He pushed back inside of me and immediately started moaning. And even though I had just come, he still felt so fucking good.

He groaned, thrusting more forcefully now. "Ungh... ungh... oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, Edward!" He closed his eyes, throwing his head back with a loud groan as his cock pulsed and throbbed inside of my body.

God, he was gorgeous.

Looking down with a smile, he pulled out and collapsed next to me, saying, "That felt so fucking good," before pulling my face to his in an exuberant kiss. Even though we were both exhausted, it was filled with a simmering passion. Breaking the kiss with a contented sigh, he hopped out of the bed and grabbed a washcloth, cleaning us both.

Jasper tossed the cloth to the side of the bed, and even though I didn't want to, I knew it was time to check the clock.

Almost two in the morning.

_Fuck._

I groaned and started to sit up, but Jasper grabbed my forearm. Surprised, I turned to look at him, and he quietly whispered, "Stay."

_Yes!_

"Are you sure?" I responded. "I have to be up early, and I don't want to bother you in the morning."

He guided me back down to the pillow and cuddled up, throwing his arm across my chest and nestling his head under my arm.

"I'm sure. There's no one else I'd want to be bothered by."

"All right." I rolled on top of him, stretching over his shoulder to reach the alarm clock. "But I'm setting the alarm for six-thirty."

"Well, there goes my precious beauty sleep."

"Don't worry, you've got enough stockpiled to miss a day," I responded and following a chaste kiss to his lips, was asleep within minutes, tangled in his limbs.

~O~

The next morning, I awoke with a groan to the alarm beeping and immediately reached for the snooze bar. Absentmindedly pushing buttons, I froze when I heard a chuckle coming from somewhere in the room.

"It's no use, darlin', I think you're already awake."

_Oh shit._

That's right. I was in Jasper's room, not mine. We had gambled and flirted and fucked all night long.

And it was _amazing_.

Sitting up with a yawn and scrubbing the sleep from my eyes, I spotted him across the room sitting next to a room service cart.

_Room service cart?_

_Okay, I know you just woke up, Cullen, but let's try to get your mind functioning, m'kay?_

"I thought you might be hungry this morning, so I ordered up some breakfast," he explained.

"Thank you. That's so... thoughtful."

"Well, you don't grow up in the south without learning some good manners. You know I could be even more helpful this morning and help you with what's goin' on under that sheet, too?" he said hopefully, gesturing to my obvious morning arousal.

"Jesus Christ, Jasper," I groaned. "You can't tease me like that."

He walked over to the bed with a smirk. "Now, who said anything about teasing?" Crawling onto the mattress, he pushed me back down onto the pillow and pecked my lips with a kiss.

"You have no idea how I wish I had time for this," I responded. He tried to get back up with an unsatisfied huff, but I pulled him back so he was lying on top of me, wrapping my arms around his waist. "But I think I can work a hug or two into my schedule."

"Now this is a great way to start the day." He smiled, seeming to envelop me in a whole body hug. "My mama used to call these morning hugs." His eyes flashed with some emotion, but I couldn't quite catch what it was.

"Morning hugs?" I asked.

"Mmm-hmm. A morning hug is a particularly special hug," he drawled. "It's when you linger just a little extra during the first hug of the day," he paused to snuggle into my neck and placed a kiss into the crook, "to make sure the person you're hugging starts the day knowing that they're something special."

_Oh, he was something special, all right._

We took another few minutes, relaxing in each other's arms, before I had to give in to nature's call. Jasper saw to breakfast, while I grabbed my underwear and cell phone, heading into the restroom.

Once the door was closed and I had taken care of business, I typed a quick text to Bella.

_Can't make breakfast today. Meet in the lobby. Will explain later._

When I walked out, Jasper had laid everything out on the table and it looked absolutely delicious. Sitting down, I grabbed a croissant and took a sip of the coffee, moaning as the hot liquid slid down my throat.

"Well, now I'm jealous of a cup of coffee," he said with a pout on his face. "Making you moan almost as loud as I did last night. I don't feel so special anymore."

I laughed. "I wouldn't worry too much, Jasper, because you are definitely something special. If it came down to you or the coffee, I'd much prefer to have you in my mouth." I smirked.

_Oh my god, did I really just say that?_

"Hmm." He smiled, and leaned back in his chair. "You won't mind if I test you out on that, right? What are you doing tonight? Do you want to get together for dinner?" he asked.

"I have dinner plans with my co-workers." His face fell slightly at my response, so I quickly continued, "But then I'm free for the evening. What about you?"

"Not much. Why don't you give me a call when you're done, and we can get together for a drink? Or something else, if you'd rather?" He grabbed my phone from the table and called his own from it, storing the number.

"That sounds like an excellent plan."

Once we had finished breakfast and reluctantly got dressed, I went downstairs and grabbed a cab from the hotel, praying that there would be no familiar faces to witness my walk of shame. Thankfully, luck was on my side, but I knew I'd have to answer to Bella soon enough.

Getting dressed in my corporate uniform, I briefly went through my notes about the booths I needed to visit and checked the times for the presentations I planned to attend. My mind, however, was distracted wondering if I might catch a glimpse of Jasper at the show.

I was losing focus easily.

When it was time to meet Bella, I left the room feeling equal parts excitement and nerves. Undoubtedly, she was going to grill me, but I was eager to talk about Jasper. Reaching the hotel reception area, I spotted her immediately, arms folded over her chest. As soon as she saw me walking in her direction, she raised one eyebrow and a knowing smirk crossed her face.

"Spill," was all she said.

I could barely contain the goofy grin threatening to break out across my face. "Come on, let's get a cab before the lines get crazy," was my response. I knew she was dying to know what had happened and decided to make her suffer a little.

"Fine, Cullen, but you're not getting out of this."

When we stepped into the cab I knew that I had tortured Bella as long as she would let me. So, I just went ahead and started. "It was him."

She gasped, "_Him_, him? Blond hair, blue eyes, caught us staring, him? He's gay?"

I laughed. "Yup, that's the one. He sat next to me at the blackjack table last night and we hit it off."

"Yeah. I'm sure you hit something. You look like the cat that caught the canary this morning." She snickered.

"I'll just say that we had a great time and we're getting together again tonight, after dinner."

Apparently, she noticed that I couldn't wipe the smile off my face when I talked about him. "Oh my God, Edward. You're fucking glowing!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella! Men don't glow."

"Whatever. Good for you. What's his name?"

"His name is Jasper, and he has the sexiest southern accent I've ever heard."

She squealed; literally squealed while clasping her hands together in front of her chest. The cab driver looked at us like we were nuts.

"What's he doing out here?" she asked.

"Well, he said that he was interested in checking out new technology and he works in the film industry in LA. I bet that's why he was looking at the 3D stuff. I wonder if he's a director or producer or something."

"Someone that hot should not be stuck behind a camera."

"Ain't that the truth," I replied with a smile as we pulled up to the convention center.

We walked through the doors at 8:30am and I was counting the minutes until I saw Jasper again, even though I had left him just over an hour ago.

That's when I knew I was in trouble.

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><p><strong>So much lemon, my lips are a-puckerin'! What do you guys think? Is Jasper too good to be true? Leave a review and let me know - they make my day!<br>**


	3. Chapter 3

**This story is slash, so if you're not a fan, feel free to stop reading now. This is dedicated to my BFF Christy for encouraging my smutty hobby, and to my friend Stu, who let me get him drunk and ask ridiculously inappropriate questions about his sex life... yeah, for the story, sure... You guys rock! Also, a quick shout-out to Alex and Corey for unwittingly inspiring this little plot bunny...  
><strong>

**And a huge thank you to my awesome beta, cocoalvin, who is amazingly patient with my comma-h00ring ways, and did an amazing job whipping this story into shape! Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**

**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except a strong dislike for slots. Unless they're loose slots. Then they're awesome.**

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><p><em>"Someone that hot should not be stuck behind a camera."<em>

_"Ain't that the truth," I replied with a smile as we pulled up to the convention center._

_We walked through the doors at 8:30am and I was counting the minutes until I saw Jasper again, even though I had left him just over an hour ago._

_That's when I knew I was in trouble._

~O~

Throughout the day I kept my eyes peeled for Jasper but didn't see him anywhere. At lunch, Bella grilled me again, and I just about pulled out half of my hair enduring her questioning. She may have been better suited to working as an army interrogator, rather than a financial analyst.

Realistically, Jasper lived in LA and I lived in San Francisco. It wasn't as if we were going to establish a relationship or anything, but I was really looking forward to seeing him tonight. I hadn't felt this sort of instant attraction to anyone in... well, maybe never.

Still, I had to focus on work for now. There were many booths to visit, hundreds of questions left to ask, and a talk given by the President of Samsung at 4:30pm to endure before I could call it a day.

By the time Boo-Keun Yoon said thank you and good night, I was practically jumping out of my skin. Finally, the day was over and I had just enough time to get back to the hotel, shower and get dressed before dinner. I hoped that Jasper wouldn't mind a little scruff on my face because there wasn't any time to shave.

After a careful review of my clothing choices, I decided on a pair of gray slacks, white button down shirt and a black v-neck sweater. A little on the casual side for dinner, but it was perfect for my date after. Grabbing my wallet and room key, I headed to yet another restaurant located in the hotel to meet with my co-workers.

As soon as I walked in, my excitement kicked into overdrive. Just a couple more hours until I got to see Jasper again and even less if I could keep Mike on track. Being the first one there, I headed directly to the bar to order a much needed drink. My heart sped up when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted what looked to be a head of blond curls.

_Is it him?_

My face lit up when I realized it was Jasper standing at the bar, hand wrapped around a glass of beer as he brought it to his lips. He hadn't seen me and I walked the length of the bar, watching his Adam's apple bob with each swallow. Pulling the glass from his mouth, he licked his top lip, sweeping the excess moisture into his mouth.

_The things that tongue did to me last night._

A shiver ran down my spine at the memory.

I took a spot across the bar from him and raised my hand to signal for the bartender.

And coincidentally, Jasper.

Catching his eye, I gave him a smirk and watched a wide dimpled grin cross his face.

"Black Label on the rocks, please," I ordered, as Jasper made his way over to me.

"Well hey there, darlin'. Did you miss me today?" he asked, leaning back, elbows resting on the bar.

"I may have been a little distracted." I smiled.

"Fuck, me too. I'm glad we ended up in the same restaurant tonight. I'll be able to steal you away from your group as soon as you're finished." He whispered in my ear, "I've been thinking about you all day, Edward."

That drawl was going to be the death of me.

_No boners allowed while you're waiting for the frat party to show up, Edward._

Ugh. It was as if I had subconsciously called to Mike; I heard his voice ring out over the restaurant noise. Great. "My group just showed up, but I'll call you as soon as when we're done here, okay?"

He leaned in close enough for his curls to tickle my cheek. "Looking forward to it." And with a wink, he moved back to the other side of the bar, leaving my heart racing after our simple interaction.

I couldn't wait for this dinner to be over. If I had to hear Mike make another comment about how he only had one more night to bed a porn star, I was going to puke up my forty dollar filet. How could he be attracted to any of them? They were all so trashy looking. Finally, we got to the point of ordering dessert, and I excused myself to the restroom. I looked in the mirror as I washed my hands; the flush on my face, from both the wine at dinner and my impending meeting with Jasper, was clearly visible. I was considering sending him a sexy text when a couple of guys walked in, heading to the urinals and I couldn't help but overhear their conversation.

"Did you see Jay Hale out there? Fucking hot!" the blond said.

I ventured to guess that these guys were gay.

"Fuck yeah! I think I'm going to say something to him before he leaves. He's got to be here for the AVNs!" the brunette responded.

"I own, like, five of his movies. Seriously, I'm going to die if you actually talk to him! Oh my God, I would give anything for him to fuck me!"

It seemed that there were some gay porn stars here for the AVNs. And if this guy had these boys' briefs in such a twist, I wouldn't mind catching a look at this eye candy. As I exited the restroom, I decided to keep an eye on where the bathroom twinks went.

They came out shortly after I returned to my seat and started walking across the restaurant.

_Jasper is going to die when I tell him about this! It looks like he's sitting right by him._

Confusion set in as they walked up to Jasper's table, tapping him on the shoulder.

_What are they doing? Why…?_

They were talking to him animatedly, excitement evident in their faces.

The realization hit me.

_Oh my fucking God. It's him._

Bella's voice broke me out of my daze. "Edward, are you okay? You look a little pale."

My eyes snapped away from the interaction at Jasper's table.

"Yeah, I'm not feeling really well. I think I'm going to head upstairs. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Bella flashed me a look of concern, but she wasn't going to say anything in front of the guys. I jumped up from the table and left without another glance at Jasper's table. I just couldn't. When I got to my room, I took a seat at the desk, letting everything sink in.

Opening my laptop, I Googled the name Jay Hale.

Jesus fucking Christ.

There were pages upon pages of results.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_ _He's a porn star. I let a porn star fuck me. What the hell is wrong with me?_

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I just knew it was either going to be Bella or Jasper. Jasper's name lit up the screen, but I didn't answer. I couldn't think clearly and wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

_Yet? Am I going to talk to him ever?_

A rather insistent knock at the door pulled me away from my thoughts. This time, I was sure it would be Bella. She was stubborn enough to camp outside my door if I didn't answer, so with no choice in the matter, I let her in.

"What happened?" she asked, concern lacing her words. "Are you okay? Is it something you ate?"

I shook my head. "No, Bella, I'm just a fucking idiot."

"Well, I could've told you that, but for what reason this time?"

Running my hands through my hair, I relayed the story of the guys in the bathroom, finishing with, "So, I guess that Jasper Whitlock is also known as Jay Hale, porn star extraordinaire."

"Holy shit, you fucked a porn star?" she asked, mouth hanging open in disbelief.

"It certainly appears that way," I answered.

"How was it?"

"Bella!" I chastised. "It doesn't matter. This is not okay. Do you think I need to get tested?"

"Oh, calm down, Edward. You used a condom, right?" I nodded. "Honestly, he's probably safer than half of the guys creeping around the SF club scene. Besides, don't they have to get tested regularly?"

"I don't fucking know!" I yelled, as my phone started ringing again.

"Is that him calling?" she asked.

"Yeah," I explained. "We were supposed to meet up for a drink tonight, after dinner."

"I see. And you're just not going to answer the phone?"

"I just... I can't, Bella. I can't deal with this," I said, raking my hands through my hair in frustration.

"Well, Edward, I think you're going to end up regretting that decision. I saw how much you liked him right off the bat, regardless of his, ahem, occupation."

"Bella! He's a _porn star_. He fucks _for a living,_" I responded, arms flailing. "What, is he going to be my boyfriend, while fucking other guys? On fucking camera? Am I going to bring him to the company Holiday party? Home to meet my parents? And even if I did like him enough to ignore the whole porn issue, which would be completely ridiculous, we don't even live in the same area, so it doesn't matter. I'm better off just chalking this whole experience up to a 'what happens in Vegas' situation."

"All right, fine, I get it," she conceded. "But, you're not even going to return his call? You guys had plans tonight and he has no idea what happened to you."

"I'm sure he won't have any problems finding a replacement fuck tonight," I huffed. "Either one of those twinks I saw in the bathroom sounded more than willing to spread their legs for him."

"Suit yourself, Edward," she responded, with a sigh. "But honestly, I can't remember the last time I'd seen you as excited as you looked this morning. So, I'd like to go on record that I think you're making a mistake."

"Recorded for posterity. Now, I think I'm going to get some rest." I walked to the door and opened it, gesturing for Bella to leave. "Thanks for stopping by."

Once Bella was gone, I took off my clothes and crawled onto the hotel bed with my laptop. Turning the computer on, I opened a spreadsheet to make some notes about the vendors I had visited earlier in the day. Of course, there was no chance of me being able to concentrate, so instead, I logged into my email, reading my new messages. Not in the mood to respond to anyone, I started surfing the internet.

And somehow managed to Google Jasper again.

Clips from his movies were posted on GayTube. Curiosity got the best of me, and I clicked on the first video. He was standing next to a bed, wearing a light blue polo shirt fitted tightly across his chest and a pair of khaki cargo shorts.

He looked fucking gorgeous.

There was a good looking, wiry guy with shaggy dark hair sitting on the bed, waiting for him. Jasper crawled onto the bed and pulled the boy onto his knees, grabbing him by the waist and attacking his lips. They kissed and groped, hands roaming across their bodies and pulling off clothes.

The video quickly cut to a new scene, and they were now engaged in a mutual exchange of blow jobs. Jasper's fingers were teasing the other guy's hole, gently tickling the puckered flesh.

I started getting hard.

The video cut again, now giving the viewer a taste of the main event. Jasper had the boy on his hands and knees, and was kneeling behind him, slowly pressing his cock into the twink's hungry hole. The boy tried to take some control and push back onto Jasper, but he wouldn't allow it, muscles flexing as held the boy in place. Jasper then grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling him up so that his back was flush to Jasper's chest.

"Tell me you want me to fuck you," he growled into the boy's ear.

"Fuck! Please Jay, please, fuck me."

Then he forced the boy's chest down on to the bed, leaving his ass high in the air, arms splayed out to the sides and started pounding into him. It was so... _aggressive_. And, apparently, I enjoyed watching this side of him, seeing as how I was now turned on something fierce.

He looked so commanding, so sure of himself, and the boy moaned with pleasure with each thrust. As much as I wanted to hate it, the video was fucking hot and my dick had started leaking pre-cum from watching them fuck, so I licked my hand, grabbed my cock and started stroking. But almost as soon as I started, the clip was over.

So I watched it again. And again. Then hit the back button to view the other search results.

And, God, it was disturbing to see Jasper fucking all these men, but I wasn't quite disgusted enough to stop. Clip after clip played as I touched myself, and my cock was desperate for relief, but the videos just weren't long enough to get me there. So, rather than continue watching him on my screen, I closed my eyes and remembered last night. The way his lips felt on my skin. The way he held my hands over my head in a sweat slicked grip, thrusting into my body over and over.

The way he made me completely lose control.

These images caused hot ribbons of cum to finally shoot out onto my bare stomach, and I stroked myself through another intense orgasm, courtesy of Jasper. But once I had cleaned myself up, using a corner of the bed sheet, I felt repulsed all over again.

My long and emotional day with so little sleep finally caught up to me as I reflected on how this day began with so much promise, yet turned out so fucking badly. Because Bella was right, I _was _happy this morning. But tonight? I felt lonelier than ever. Curling my body around a pillow, I fell asleep.

Alone.

~O~

The next day, I woke up exhausted and cranky. I had tossed and turned all night, and the last thing I wanted to do was go to the CES, put a smile on my face and make nice with various vendors. But this was my job, and I wasn't going to let my personal life interfere with everything I'd worked so hard for.

I went to the conference by myself, not up for dealing with Bella's disappointed looks or questions about last night. I just needed to focus on work for the next eight hours, and then I would be on a plane, going back home, where I could spend the weekend wallowing in self-pity.

Bella kept her distance, and for that I was grateful. I ate lunch alone, still refusing to check my voicemails, unable to stomach the thought of hearing Jasper's voice. Better to just cut all ties, right?

_Sure._

Just about finished for the day, I approached the Electronic Arts gaming booth. I had saved this booth for last because I had initially planned for it to be a bit of a reward for all my hard work this trip. Unfortunately, I didn't think I would end up enjoying it as much as I originally anticipated.

But that didn't stop me from taking a stab at the new Masters PGA tour game for the Wii. I actually managed to make par on the demonstration, smiling as I garnered a round of applause from onlookers. But when I heard one clap lingering after the others had stopped, the muscles in my body tensed protectively. I didn't need to turn around to know that it was Jasper.

He spoke first. "Nice shot, Edward."

I turned around slowly, unprepared as to how to handle this situation. Sure, I had considered that I might run into him today but figured I would have time to hide if I saw him. Not necessarily the most mature response, but certainly effective. Also, with it being so late in the day, I figured I was home free.

_Wrong again, Cullen_.

Handing the controller back to the staff, I responded, "Thanks," staring down at my shoes, unable to meet his eyes.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" he asked.

"Jasper..." I started, nervously pulling at my hair.

"Outside," he interrupted, gesturing to the exit doors to his left. Without another option, I began walking as Jasper followed close behind. We walked toward an empty bench to the far right of the building, away from the crowds in front. Once there, we both sat, and after a moment of uncomfortable silence, Jasper began.

"Look, I don't want to make this any more awkward than it already is, but I'm just really confused about what happened last night. Did I do something?"

I stammered my response. "Yes... I mean, no. I mean... I don't know."

"Hmm. Well, you've gotta give me something here, Edward. I was really looking forward to seeing you again last night, and I thought you felt the same way. I was definitely not expecting to get stood up and I think I deserve an explanation."

_Deserve an explanation? Really?_

"Well, Jasper, I'd be happy to give you an explanation." My eyes narrowed when they finally made contact with his bright blue orbs. I continued, "As soon as you explain to me exactly who Jay Hale is."

Understanding immediately fell across his face.

"I was in the restroom when I overheard a couple of guys giddy with excitement over seeing one of their favorite porn stars in the restaurant. Imagine my surprise when I saw them walk up to you, _Jay_." I could feel the anger bubbling inside of my chest.

His eyes popped open in surprise. "Edward, I—"

"No!" I interrupted. "Jesus Christ, Jasper! Were you planning on saying anything, or just letting me believe that you were here for the CES?"

"I—"

"You know what?" I cut him off dismissively. "It doesn't matter, anyway. It was a mistake. I've never done anything like that before, not that you would understand."

"Edward, will you please let me talk?" Jasper asked, clearly exasperated. I responded with a glare but he continued anyway. "You're right. I should've told you and I'm sorry for being misleading, but please try to look at this from my perspective."

"Sorry, I'm not familiar with how a porn star thinks, so that wouldn't be possible," I sneered, even though I knew I was acting a little childish. "God, I actually liked you, Jasper."

"Listen to me, Edward," he implored. "I'm fully aware that my job isn't classy, or respectable, like yours. You know what happens when I tell guys what I do?" he asked.

"What? They want to fuck you?" I replied, sarcasm biting my words.

"Yes. That's exactly what they want to do. They don't want to know me. They don't want to date me. They're looking to carve a notch in their bedpost with my name on it." He looked down, with a sad look in his eyes. "I didn't want that with you. I like you, Edward."

"Sure, Jasper. Then why wouldn't you be honest with me?"

"And you really think that you wouldn't have blown me off?" He had a point. "Edward, I never lied to you about anything. You have to admit, we didn't really do much talking when we met."

"Maybe so, but that's some pretty fucking important information to leave out of an introduction."

"That's fair... and I'm sorry." He looked away shyly, his eyes oozing vulnerability. "I just have no experience with actually wanting to date someone and didn't want to scare you away before you got to know me. Looks like that plan worked real well." He seemed to speak the last part more to himself. This person was a far cry from the cocky, confident sex god I had presumed Jasper Whitlock to be, especially after watching his videos last night.

He took a deep breath, resting his head back on the building before continuing to speak. "I started doing this when I was nineteen. I was in college and decided to come out to my parents." Another deep breath. "Big mistake. Looking back, I probably should have known better, but at the time, I was shocked when my dad promptly cut me off. We haven't spoken since."

I didn't know what to say and couldn't relate. My family had always been incredibly supportive of me. What the hell was wrong with people?

"I'm so sorry," I responded.

He looked at me with a small smile. "Thank you. I had a little money set aside, and my mama tried to send some without my dad noticing, but with tuition, housing and bills, it all went pretty fast. A friend of mine told me that I could make some quick money by contacting this website and doing some modeling. Over time, things progressed and... well... here I am. Recent college graduate and porn actor. Trying to figure out what to do with my life."

I never realized he was so much younger than me; he came across as much more mature.

He continued, "Edward, the other night was something special for me."

I rolled my eyes in response.

"I'm serious. People usually expect that sex with a porn star is going to be amazing, because it's their job to have sex, am I right?"

"I can imagine."

"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. What you see onscreen isn't real. There are ten people in the room with you, telling you when to moan, or to move your hand 'cause you're blocking your dick. Guys lose their hard-ons all the time and have to take breaks. Most of the hottest stuff you see is just good editing." My eyebrows raised in surprise. "So, yeah, what happened between us the other night was pretty fuckin' awesome for me."

I looked away shyly. I had to admit, I was glad that the other night was something special to him. My anger was slowly beginning to melt away.

Unsure of how long we had been sitting, I twisted my wrist to check the time. _Shit_. I had to leave for the airport soon. "Jasper, I'm sorry, but I have to head back to the hotel."

He turned his head and his blue eyes bore into me. "Will you have dinner with me tonight, Edward?"

Of course, he didn't realize that I wasn't staying the weekend. It was too bad. I may have actually considered the proposition otherwise.

"I... I can't. I'm leaving for the airport to fly home soon."

"Oh." His face fell in disappointment, but then he reached out and gripped my hand, looking up with a sparkle in his eye. "Don't go yet. Stay with me tonight."

My eyes opened wide in surprise. "What? Wait, what? I couldn't..."

"Please, Edward," he interrupted. "Let's just spend a little time together and get to know each other. What do you have to do tonight that can't wait until tomorrow? Or Sunday?"

"Well, I... uh..." My brain had drawn a complete blank. There had to be something... but, I could barely think with the way he was staring at me, so excited about the prospect of keeping me in Vegas.

I mean, I didn't really have any other plans.

The answer came out of my mouth before I could stop to consider the potential repercussions of spending the weekend in Vegas with a porn star.

"Okay."

A wide smile crossed his face as he leaned in close to whisper in my ear. "You won't regret it. I promise."

"Well," I responded, feeling almost giddy with my spontaneity, "I _am_ a bit of a gambler by nature."

"Oh, is that right?" His cocky drawl was back.

"Sure is." I stood up and held my hand out for him to take. When he curled his warm fingers around my own, something about it just felt right and I knew I was making the right choice. "And haven't you heard? Scared money never wins."

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks to everyone for reading, alerting and especially reviewing! This is the last official chapter, but I have a few ideas for where this story could go if there's interest. Drop me a line and let me know if you think these boys should keep going!  
><strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, guys, I was absolutely blown away by the reviews to the last chapter! And since you asked for it, the story shall continue! Expect about 10 chapters of pining, jealousy and, of course, lots of sex! I'd still like to give a shout out to Christy, Corey, Alex and, for this chapter in particular, Stu! Although, Stu, not so much for introducing me to every gay man you know in SF as your friend who writes gay porn before I've even had a cocktail.  
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**My beta, cocoalvin, kicks ass and takes names. Dealing with my complete inability to figure out what form of the word 'lay' I should be using is no easy feat. Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**

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><p>I decided to stay with Jasper on Friday night and fly back to San Francisco Saturday afternoon. He had initially tried to convince me to stay the whole weekend, but I needed to get home and wrap my head around what was happening between us. Besides, he had to attend the awards show, and although he invited me to join him, I wasn't comfortable with it. I could just imagine a photo of me getting snapped, and my employers seeing it. Mike would have probably turned green with envy, but that wasn't really the sort of image I wanted to project.<p>

Unfortunately, that was exactly the type of image that would come with dating Jasper.

Leaving the convention center, we took a cab back to the hotel, his hand never leaving mine. We didn't really say much on the drive, but the silence was nice, comfortable even. He was so easy to be with and I was having a difficult time reconciling him with the man I watched on my computer last night. Both images of him were sexy, no doubt, but I could easily find myself falling for the one sitting next to me.

And that scared me.

Once we reached his room, I quickly re-booked my plane ticket. Realizing just how much the past few days had taken out of me, Jasper suggested that we take a nap. We lay down on the bed, and he pulled me into his arms, asking if he could kiss me. It was sweet, and I appreciated that he didn't expect things to pick up right where we had left them physically. Right or wrong, I was going to be a little more cautious with him this time and wasn't quite ready to jump in the sack.

Figuratively, of course. Literally, I had already done just that.

He leaned in, eyes closing as he lightly pecked at my lips. Instead of the passionate, almost desperate way we kissed the other night, this was different. Soft and languid, lazy, in a sense. His fingertips lightly brushed over my shoulders, then kneaded a little deeper, working out the tension in my neck. It felt so good that I let out a low groan.

"Turn over," he mumbled against my lips. "Let me rub your back."

His fingers were like magic, digging into my knotted shoulders, stretching my lower back. I felt myself drifting; I was so relaxed with his weight on me.

Apparently, I relaxed myself right into my nap. Next thing I knew, I was waking up to Jasper's fingers tracing light circles into my back as he whispered my name. "Edward... Time to wake up."

"Hmm? What time is it," I croaked, my voice thick with sleep.

"Just after seven."

"Shit." I was surprised I had slept for so long.

"You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you up. My stomach had other ideas though." His statement was punctuated with a low grumble from his belly.

"Okay, okay, I'm up." I rolled over onto my back, stretching my arms overhead with a long yawn. "What's the plan?"

"Well, what do you think about grabbing some dinner downstairs? The concierge recommended Olives, so I made us a reservation for eight-thirty while you were sleeping. It's Italian. Does that work?"

"Sounds great. I don't think I'll be able to look at another steak for at least a month after this trip."

"Oh, no!" he responded, teasingly. "Steak every night, how did you survive?"

"Very funny." I replied, tossing a pillow at his head, which he expertly ducked. "I need to take a shower first, though. Is that all right?" Jasper nodded at me with a smirk, but didn't say anything when I got up, grabbed my Dopp kit and headed into the bathroom. Turning the shower on, I shaved at the sink as the air thickened with steam. Finishing the job, I dropped my towel and opened the shower door to step in, but then stopped.

_Why am I in here alone?_

I knew that I wanted to slow things down a little, but for Chrissake, we had already slept together. A little shower action couldn't hurt, could it? Unload my gun before spending the evening out?

_Fuck it._

Walking to the bathroom door, I peeked my head out and called Jasper's name. He was at the door in a flash.

"Need some help getting your back?" he asked, eyebrows wagging suggestively.

"Maybe." I smiled. "It's a little lonely in here. Want to keep me company?"

"I thought you'd never ask. I'll meet you in there in just a sec, all right?"

I stepped back into the shower and ducked my head under the warm spray of water. Moments later, the door clicked open and Jasper came in, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his chest to my back. I leaned my head back onto his shoulder as he reached for the shampoo and poured a little into his palm.

"Looks like I've got some work to do on this mop here," he said, massaging his fingers into my scalp. Then, grabbing the bar of soap, he rubbed it across my chest before pulling my wrist up and soaping my armpit. I looked back at him with a raised brow. "What?" he asked, with mock surprise. "I can't just pay attention to the fun parts, can I?"

"I suppose not," I responded, jumping back under the showerhead to get the soap out of my hair before he went any further. "My turn," I stated, maneuvering our bodies so Jasper was standing under the spray. He looked adorable with his curls soaked straight and I immediately got to work lathering his body. When I reached his cock, it had already begun to lengthen in anticipation of my touch. I wrapped my soapy hand around him at the base.

Jasper groaned, long and low. "Why don't you hand that bar of soap over so I can play, too?" he asked, his drawl thickening. I handed him the soap while continuing to stroke his heavy cock. He lathered his hands, grasping my dick in a firm grip and walked me back against the shower wall. Pressing his lips against mine, he quickly parted them, sweeping his tongue into my mouth. I rested my other hand around his waist, the warm water passing over my fingers in a river as we stroked each other slowly.

Jasper's head settled on my shoulder as I leaned back against the glass. He traced his free hand down my chest until he reached my nipple, already tight with arousal. Flicking the sensitive bud with his thumb, he then paid the same attention the other, following with a light pinch. The quick flash of pain connected directly with my dick, where Jasper was concentrating his thumb just under my head, rubbing back and forth. I groaned aloud and my own hand stopped moving, too caught up in how Jasper was making me feel to focus on anything else. He changed his motion, circling his hand into a tight fist, and began jerking my cock quickly. Kissing my neck, he traced a path up to my ear with his tongue. I couldn't keep my hips still any longer, bucking into his hand as warmth began to tingle throughout my body. I wrapped both of my arms around his neck for balance.

"Edward," he whispered into my ear. Instead of answering I moaned in acknowledgement. "Are you close?" I nodded yes with my face tucked into his neck and his slick hand sped up even more, shortening his stroke. "Then fuckin' come for me."

As if on command, my body contracted with pleasure. With a soft cry, my cock pulsed in his hand, thick ropes of cum shooting onto his abs. I took a moment to rest my sated body against him.

"Well, look at that," he spoke lowly, grabbing my ass and pulling my body close to his, grinding his hard cock against my sensitive one. "We went and got ourselves all dirty again."

I hummed in agreement, leaning back and running my fingers down his tanned chest to grasp his dick again. "Sorry to have abandoned my post earlier," I said. "I found it a little hard to concentrate with your hands on me."

"Oh, I think you'll have a chance to redeem yourself. Right about now." Quirking an eyebrow at me, he looked down, and my gaze followed. His cock looked almost painfully hard. "What?" he smiled. "You look fuckin' hot when you come." He ran his hands up the sides of my body while I reached down to grasp him again. Pressing his hands against the glass over my head, he braced his weight while I started pumping his cock.

"Fuck," he groaned, his head dropping low between his shoulders. My other hand dragged down his chest, tracing each well-defined ab muscle, before guiding his left leg so that it hitched onto my hip, giving me room to maneuver between his legs. I grazed his balls, reaching back farther and tickling the sensitive skin behind them, never faltering in my strokes. "Yes," he whispered, raising his eyes to meet mine.

Letting my index finger drift back even farther, I gently rubbed the wrinkled skin of his hole. "Is this what you want?" I asked. Jasper's head fell against my shoulder and I felt him nodding against my cheek, soft groans blowing hot against my skin. His hips began to thrust lightly into my hand.

"Edward," he breathed, dropping his arms so they wrapped around my neck and lifting his head from my shoulder. "I'm… Fuck, I'm—" Pressing his mouth to mine, a close-lipped groan escaped his lips, followed immediately by warm spurts of cum hitting my stomach.

Finally, he broke the kiss and I stilled my hands. A lazy smile spread across Jasper's face and he snickered slightly. "What?" I asked.

"I don't know how we're ever going to make it out of this room. There's no way dinner can top that."

~O~

Jasper dressed in a white button down shirt, paired with gray tweed pants, and a matching vest. I'd never have the guts to try to pull something like that off, but on him, it looked fantastic. I, on the other hand, had to resort to my back-up clothing choices, re-purposing my dark gray suit pants, and pairing them with a simple black button down. Not particularly exciting, but it would do. Entering the restaurant, we were shown to an intimate circular booth. We quickly settled in and ordered cocktails and appetizers, before making any decisions about the entree, since neither of us were in any rush. It was probably smart that we took the edge off before leaving the hotel room.

"So, Edward," Jasper began, "did you grow up in Northern California?"

"No, I actually grew up in Chicago, but my family re-located to a small town in Washington just after I started high school."

"Yeah? And how was that?"

"Not exactly easy." I laughed. "It was hard enough coming to terms being gay in a big city like Chicago, where I actually saw another gay person every once in a while, but Forks, Washington? Not so much. I mostly kept to myself, trying to convince myself that I was probably just bisexual, like that would make everything okay."

Jasper laughed. "I think that most of us go through the same thing."

"So I've heard. Anyway, when I went away to college, I figured I would have a chance to, you know, experiment and explore." Jasper nodded in understanding. "However, I managed to get myself a girlfriend within the first few months. I swear, I still haven't figured out how that happened. That lasted about a year and then I never really had another opportunity. It was like high school all over again, where I was scared to lose the friends I had already made." I paused as our drinks came. "Then, the summer before senior year, I got an internship in D.C."

"Ah," Jasper smiled, "a fresh chance at being anonymous."

"Exactly. But, again, I made it through half the summer with no action."

"Oh, come on!"

"Really! I kept myself so busy working, exploring the city, and going to happy hours with other interns, that I never had time to strike off on my own. Then one night, I was out with some co-workers the night before a weekend trip. A local girl had her friends meet up with us at the bar and I really hit it off with one of the guys. We ended up getting pretty trashed and losing most of our friends throughout the evening as we barhopped. When the bars closed down, he suggested that we have a drink back at his place."

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, because I was leaving for that trip the next day, but he was pretty convincing. I mean, it didn't take much since I was already wasted. My plan was to have another drink or two, then head home. At the time, it didn't even cross my mind that he might have been flirting with me. I don't know, maybe in my subconscious I understood what was going on." The waitress dropped off our appetizers and I continued, "Anyway, we went back to his place and he fixed me a drink. At this point, I had sobered up just a bit on the drive and started getting a little worried about how I was getting home, so I decided to call a cab right away, giving us time for just the one drink. When I told him, the guy suggested that I stay at his place and cab back in the morning."

"Aw, shit," yelled Jasper, smacking his hand on the table. "He was making a move!"

"He sure was. When we finished our drinks, he climbed into his bed and I grabbed a blanket and pillow and lay down on the floor. I was maybe half asleep when I heard him whisper, 'there's enough room up here for you.'"

"Oh my God!" Jasper was shaking his head.

"And there was not nearly enough room for the two of us, I mean, the guy had a twin bed! If I got up there, it was going to be for one reason only."

"What did you do?" asked Jasper.

"I had a mild panic attack before telling myself to suck it up and do it."

"And was it everything you'd ever dreamed of?"

"No! It was the worst experience ever! I was too drunk to get it up and the guy kept saying, 'fuck me, fuck me,' but I physically couldn't! I mean, I don't think I would've, even if it were possible, but still!"

"Now that's fuckin' traumatizing, Edward. After all that, you tried again?"

"Yup, and with the same guy, just a lot less drunk the next time."

"Well, lucky for me," he responded, with a wink. "Let it never be said that you're a quitter, Edward Cullen."

~O~

We stayed at the restaurant for the next two and a half hours, talking about anything and everything, except for Jasper's profession. I just wanted to enjoy his company for now and deal with the rest of it when I got home. Toward the end of the meal, I excused myself to the restroom and pulled one of my favorite tricks. Since Jasper was letting me stay in his hotel room, the least I could do was pay for our meal, so I tracked down the waitress and gave her my credit card without him knowing. When I returned to the table, we were finishing up the last of our wine as the waitress approached with the bill.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Cullen," she said while handing me the small black folder.

"Excuse me?" Jasper asked, as she stepped away.

"Please, it's the least I can do."

"Oh, no. I'm the one who asked you to stay and asked you to dinner, so I should be the one to pay."

"Sorry, Jasper, but it's too late," I said, as I signed the slip. "It's already paid for."

"Why you sneaky little..." He leaned over and gave me a small peck on the lips, trailing his lips to my ear and whispering, "I'll find a way to get you back for that, but in the meantime, thank you."

Feeling a little buzzed from the drinks with our meal, his closeness made my skin begin to thrum. I felt the electricity all the way through my body; my pants starting to tighten in response. Something must have changed on my face, because Jasper said, "Well, I was going to suggest that we do a little gambling, but I don't think I can stand to be in public with the way you're looking at me." He let his fingers graze my erection.

I leaned in close to him and whispered with a groan, "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get out of here, Jasper."

Thankfully, the elevator was empty except for us, because the way we pressed against each other as we kissed was borderline obscene. When the doors opened, we couldn't get down the hall quickly enough, stopping at every few doors to kiss and touch. As we reached the door, he fumbled for the keycard in his pocket, having difficulty locating it with my lips attached to his. Finally, he found it, the door swinging open as we stumbled into the room. I pushed his back against the nearest wall, my hands grasping his hips, pressing his hard length against my own. Grinding my hips into him, I went to work opening his vest and shirt. Pushing the clothing off his shoulders, I sucked a bruise into the skin just below his collarbone that even his tan wouldn't be able to hide.

"Fuck, Edward," he groaned. When I finished admiring my handiwork, I quickly spun him around so he was facing the wall.

Wrapping my arms around his waist I unbuckled his belt, palming his dick as he kicked off his shoes. I unzipped his pants and dropped to my knees behind him, lowering his clothes to the ground. Dragging my fingertips back along the skin of his calves and inner thighs, I watched a shiver run down his spine. His gorgeous ass was displayed in front of me, and I couldn't help planting a bite on the curve. Jasper cried out, chest pressed against the wall as he jutted his hips back to me. I grabbed both cheeks, giving a hard squeeze before parting them to expose his hole surrounded by a light dusting of blond fuzz. Beginning just behind his sack, my tongue teasingly fluttered up his crack, barely tickling the wrinkled skin of his opening.

After another trail of my tongue down the same path, I gave him what he wanted. Pressing my face between his cheeks, I stiffened my tongue, flicking it against his entrance quickly. Softening the muscle, I licked and sucked around his hole, listening to Jasper groan in satisfaction. His breath hitched when my tongue finally entered him, his hand disappearing in front of his body to stroke his cock.

Before we had left for dinner, I'd stashed a small packet of lube in my pocket along with a condom. I grabbed them both and quickly slicked my fingers while continuing the ministrations with my tongue. With one last long lick, I placed a kiss on the small of his back, and quickly inserted a finger into his loosened hole.

"What, the...?" Jasper jumped in surprise at the intrusion, and then quickly relaxed back into his stance, letting go of his cock. "You really are a sneaky one, aren't you, Edward?" I hummed in agreement, adding another finger and slowly pumping them in and out. "Damn it, that feels so fucking good," he moaned. Changing the angle of my fingers, I brushed against his prostate and his body jerked in response. Following a few more passes Jasper growled, "Fuck, I'm ready, please!"

He shuddered when I pulled my fingers out to grab the condom packet, tearing it open and rolling it down over my throbbing erection. I covered it with the remaining lube and guided myself into his tight heat. Once fully seated inside of him, I let out a deep breath, running my fingers up his sides and across his back, trying to settle my own tightly wound body and allow him to adjust to the intrusion. Reaching around his waist, I grasped his cock in my slick fist, stroking it slowly as I began to thrust. God, he felt fucking _amazing_.

I could only imagine how sexy he looked, as I listened to the quiet moans escaping his lips. Were his eyes half-lidded or squeezed shut? Was his mouth closed tightly, or was he biting his lower lip? I had to know. Pulling my dick from his body, I whispered, "Turn around."

Resting his upper back against the wall, I hitched his right leg over my hip and realigned my cock with Jasper's hole. Pushing past his tight ring of muscle, I entered him again before grasping his other leg and lifting him up onto my thighs. He curled his fingers around my neck and wrapped his feet behind my knees. "Fuck, Edward!" he groaned. "Jesus, you feel so good inside of me."

I leaned forward and took his lips in a fierce kiss as each snap of my hips drove his shoulders into the wall. Spreading his cheeks open with my hands, I moved faster, his cock bouncing between our stomachs. Jasper was a beautiful sight; his muscles tense, sweat glistening across his skin and eyes almost black with lust. My balls began to tingle and I knew I was getting close.

"Hold on to me, Jasper," I instructed, gripping his waist tightly. Spinning around I quickly moved us to the bed, falling onto his chest without slipping out of his body. Wrapping my arms under his knees, I pinned them to his chest and began thrusting relentlessly.

"Fuckin' hell, Edward! Fuck me, baby, just like that!"

Sitting back onto my heels, I pulled his ass up onto my lap, grasping his cock and stroking him with each snap of my hips.

"Oh fuck, right there!" he cried. "I'm gonna come, Edward. I'm gonna… Fuck!" He pulled his lip between his teeth, face screwing up in anticipation just before his cock exploded, cum shooting onto his chest.

Each pulse of his orgasm tightened his body around my cock and the sight of him letting go propelled me to the edge. The heat that had been pooling in my low belly radiated out, sparking a fire in every nerve in my body. I leaned over, sinking into him with one more deep thrust and stilled, my body exploding in pleasure. Waves of ecstasy overtook me and my cock seemed to throb endlessly before I collapsed onto his chest.

With a contented sigh, I rolled off Jasper and discarded the condom. When I returned with a washcloth to clean up, Jasper was still lying boneless in the spot where I had left him at the foot of the bed. After cleaning his body of lube and cum, I pulled the corner of the blanket down and climbed in.

"I don't think I can move yet," he stated.

"Come on up here, Jasper. I can guarantee that it's more comfortable under the covers."

"Guarantee, huh?" I could hear the smirk in his voice. "So, if I'm not satisfied, I can get my money back?"

"Ha!" I smiled. "I think it's too late for that. You look pretty satisfied to me."

~O~

We slept soundly, tangled in each other's limbs, and ordered room service the following morning, eating lazily while we lounged on the bed. The morning flew by like this, minutes passing quickly until it was time for me to pack. Zipping up my suitcase, I turned around to find him staring at me intently.

"When can I see you again, Edward?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," I answered, a little reluctantly. I still needed time to think. "I'll have to look at my schedule. I mean, are you going to be in San Francisco any time soon? I'd love to hang out if you're around." Maybe I could just keep things casual like this for now.

"Is that an invitation to come visit you?" I'm sure my eyes betrayed my surprise at his interpretation. "Tell you what, Edward," he continued, the corner of his mouth curving up into a small smile. "Why don't I give you a call this week, and we can figure out a good weekend for me to take a little trip up north. You can show me all the fun tourist attractions, like Alcatraz and shit, okay?"

Was this what I wanted? The thought of dragging Jasper around San Francisco, taking him to my favorite restaurants and showing him the sights around the city was… nice. My mind was already racing with what we could do, but it also made me nervous. What if he was recognized while we were out? The chances of that happening in the Castro were probably pretty high, and I'd already hated seeing those guys fawning all over him the other night.

Unsure, I answered noncommittally. "Give me a call and we'll figure something out," I responded. He walked over and pulled me into his arms, kissing me softly and then nuzzling next to my ear.

"Have a good, flight, okay? And, thanks for staying last night. I had a great time."

I smiled, heart warming genuinely. "Me, too." With one last kiss, I turned and walked out the door.

It seemed that I had a lot to think about.

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><p><strong>I hope all that sexin' made up for the lack of a lemon between the two of them in the last chapter - let me know in a review!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope you guys enjoy the new chapter! I was a total review reply fail on the last chapter due to some FF issues, but please know that I appreciated every single one! Also, I tried to respond to any questions, so if I missed anyone, feel free to PM me!  
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**My beta, cocoalvin, is simply fantastic. Her reassurance and help is invaluable and I can't thank her enough for her hard work! Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**

**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
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**Disclaimer: I own nothing except a similar issue with flying as Edward. You'll see.  
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><p><em>Unsure, I answered noncommittally. "Give me a call and we'll figure something out," I responded. He walked over and pulled me into his arms, kissing me softly and then nuzzling next to my ear.<em>

_"Have a good, flight, okay? And, thanks for staying last night. I had a great time."_

_I smiled, heart warming genuinely. "Me, too." With one last kiss, I turned and walked out the door._

_It seemed that I had a lot to think about._

~O~_  
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As soon as the airplane's wheels touched the runway, I let out a deep exhale. Flying had never been my favorite thing to do and I would routinely indulge in a cocktail on the plane to help calm my nerves. Usually one at the airport bar before take-off as well, to combat any turbulence that occurred before the flight attendants were allowed to come out with their beverage carts. Fine, maybe two at the airport bar, but only if I was really nervous that day, or was considering the fact that I'd just spent the night with a porn star. Unfortunately, the boozing led to some slightly buzzed texting before boarding the plane, which was never a good idea. When the announcement that we were allowed to turn our phones back on was made over the loudspeaker, this was immediately confirmed by the buzz of incoming messages: Bella, my mom, Seth.

_Crap_.

At the time, it seemed like a good idea to solicit Seth's advice, but with a slightly clearer head I was less sure. Even though he was one of my best friends, he was a little excitable and was going to have a fucking field day with what had happened on my trip. Checking my phone, Seth had texted very specific instructions to meet him for dinner at eight and I knew he wouldn't take no for an answer.

I took a cab from the airport to my apartment in the Fillmore area of the city, collapsing on my bed when I made it inside, slightly out of breath. It was not the first time I wondered what compelled me to live in an apartment with about a hundred stairs to walk up before reaching my front door. Unpacking would wait until the morning and in the meantime, I settled in for a nap before dinner.

Two hours later, I woke up and got dressed. I felt somewhat refreshed and slightly more sober, but no more prepared to deal with Seth. Taking a deep breath, I walked into the Indian Oven off Haight Street and spotted Seth already seated at a table lining the wall. When I sat, he didn't even bother with a greeting. "Tell me everything about your trip," he said, snacking on a crispy piece of papadum.

"Hello, to you too, Seth," I responded sarcastically. He rolled his eyes and gestured for me to continue by waving his hand in the air. "I don't really know where to start," I said, fingers scratching at the back of my neck.

"Oh, that means this is going to be good." He leaned forward in his chair in anticipation, eyes lighting up. "I know that face, Edward Cullen. You met someone, didn't you?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, my eyes darting around the room before meeting his knowing stare. I sighed. "All right, fine, I did." He looked like he was going to jump out of his chair in excitement. "But it's kinda complicated, Seth. Actually, it's really fucking complicated."

"Well, I've got all night, baby, so start at the beginning. Uh, as soon as we order food, because I'm starving!" Seth waived down the waiter and we ordered food and a couple of beers.

As the waiter walked away, he turned his attention back to me. Taking a deep breath, I began. "Here's the quick version. I met this gorgeous guy playing blackjack, had insanely hot sex with him, made plans to meet him the next day, and then found out he was a porn actor. I freaked out and stood him up, but then he tracked me down and asked me to stay in Vegas with him for another night. I did, had dinner and then more sex with him. I think he wants to date me because he asked if he could fly up and visit because did I forget to mention that he lives in L.A? Now I don't know what to do, because he is actually an awesome guy, but a porn star? Really?"

Seth had stayed surprisingly quiet throughout my rant, which was unusual for him and when I looked up I understood why. His mouth was hanging open in disbelief. Clearing his head with a small shake, he said, "First, I have to get this out of the way. Are you fucking kidding me, Edward?" I gave him a dirty look. "Okay, so not joking then. You can't blame me for asking! It's just so unlike you, Edward."

"I know, I know," I groaned. "It's completely ridiculous, but I have to admit that we really hit it off. And don't even get me started on the sex: earth-shattering, mind blowing, toe-curling—"

"Okay, okay!" He quickly interrupted. "Now you're just trying to make me jealous and it's totally working, you bitch. So, what's the problem? He sounds awesome."

"What do you mean 'what's the problem?' Would _you _date a porn star? And I said date, Seth, not fuck."

"Maybe I have," he responded coyly. I raised my eyebrows at him and was greeted with a pout. "Fine, I haven't, but I wouldn't be entirely opposed to it. I mean, sure there could be some issues, but you shouldn't totally write him off because of it. That's not really fair."

"Easier said than done, Seth."

"Sure, but you can't work in movies like that forever. The expiration on a hot, young porn star is pretty quick. Do you know what his plans are? Is he staying in the industry forever? What if he's not?" Seth brought up some good points and I admitted that we hadn't talked about it.

I responded with my own question. "What if he's still working? He was at the fucking AVNs, I'm sure that means he's still active."

"You don't know unless you talk to him," Seth countered, pointedly.

I thought back on my and Jasper's conversation outside of the convention center. "He mentioned that he had recently graduated from college and wasn't sure what to do with his life." Seth smiled smugly while I took a moment to consider my statement. "On a side note, does that make me a cradle robber?"

Seth laughed. "I hardly think five years could be considered robbing the cradle." He paused, forehead crinkling in thought. "Here's a question for you. What would you think if he was making a movie right now?"

"I'm not sure. It's not like we're dating exclusively or anything, so I don't think the sex aspect would totally bother me. Maybe more the idea of it?"

"That's a little contradictory, don'tcha think?" I raised my eyebrows in question. "I'd ask if you watch porn, but I already know the answer to that."

I scrunched my nose at him before responding. "It's not really that, Seth." He pursed his lips, waiting for me to explain myself. "I'm sure that no one in my office, other than Bella who already knows, would ever find out that he was in porn. I also don't think my friends would really care. It's just... I don't think I could be with someone who I knew was fucking a bunch of other random people, especially if we got more serious. You know that I'm not one of those guys looking for an open relationship. So why should I spend time getting to know him, getting to _like_ him, when I know it's ultimately not going to work out?"

"Oh, Edward." Seth's voice turned soft, reaching his hand out to squeeze mine that was resting on the table. "Always over-thinking everything." I laughed humorlessly. "You said that you guys were spending that extra time in Vegas so you could see if you really liked each other. And?"

"I mean, yeah, he's great."

"Okay. So, next step. Let him come up here and find out what his plans are. He's still young, trying to figure stuff out. You shouldn't throw away a chance with him because of that."

"Aw, Seth, always the romantic."

~O~

_Ouch. _

Before I even opened my eyes, I knew sunlight was hitting on my face. Which didn't make sense, because my bedroom window was covered with a heavy curtain that I didn't remember pulling open. However, as soon as I managed to peel my eyelids open I recognized exactly what the problem was.

_Fucking Seth. _

I remembered sitting in the living room to take my shoes off last night and it appeared that I didn't make it any further than that. Otherwise I probably wouldn't be fully clothed, curled up on the couch, shivering from lack of warmth, at six in the morning.

San Francisco apartments were notoriously drafty.

Once Seth and I left Indian Oven, he convinced me to go to The Lookout, where we met up with Eric and Sam. I recalled thinking that shots were a bad idea until we had done two rounds of them. Then I thought they were absolutely brilliant, which in hindsight, they never truly were.

Dragging myself off the couch, I shed my clothes as I walked, making my way to the kitchen for some water and aspirin before reaching my bedroom and slipping under the cozy down comforter. I kept my cell phone in hand so I could text Seth, blaming him for my current misery, before falling back to sleep.

Several hours later I woke up feeling much better. The day passed quickly as I ran errands which included laundry and a trip to the grocery store. Once I had accomplished enough to not feel guilty about wasting a perfectly good weekend day, I made some food, planted myself on the couch and turned on the television. It was the perfect lazy Sunday until I was roused from an impromptu nap by the sound of my buzzing cell phone. Glaring at it momentarily, I picked it up, squinting to check the caller's name.

_Jasper_

_Oh shit, what do I do? Answer, don't answer. Answer, don't answer._

I hit the answer button, croaking out a greeting.

He answered with a warm chuckle, "I'm not waking you up, am I?"

"Jasper, hi," I answered, clearing my throat. "I was just doing some afternoon napping."

"Do you want me to give you a call back later?"

"No, no, now's fine," I said, stretching my arms overhead and failing in an attempt to stifle a yawn. "How was last night?"

"Oh, it was fine. You know, drank too much, stayed up too late. The usual."

I wondered if he was purposely leaving out any details. Trying to stop that train of thought before it progressed any further, I responded, "Well I did the same thing, and I didn't even have to be in Vegas for that."

"Yeah? Is that the reason behind your afternoon catnap?"

"Ugh, my buddy Seth thought we needed to do tequila shots last night. I woke up on the couch this morning not feeling well at all."

He laughed. "I'll bet. I actually just got home from my flight and am pretty tired myself. Actually, you know what sounds really good right now?" He sounded mischievous and I took the bait.

"What's that?"

"Joining you for your nap. I could fit myself right behind you on the couch... or are you in bed, Edward?" His tone of his voice dropped lower with that question and it was so fucking sexy.

"I—"

He interrupted before I could answer. "Mm, I'd wrap my arms around you, pulling your back to my chest. Of course, we'd both be naked, so I could feel every inch of your warm skin pressing against mine."

"Jasper," I warned, trying to disguise how turned on he was making me feel, but ultimately failing.

"Actually," his voice changed back abruptly, "that's why I'm calling. Got your calendar handy to figure out a date for me to come up?"

Tricky little bastard. I was ready for him to visit immediately.

"Sure, let me grab it." I pulled up my Outlook calendar and brought the phone back to my ear. "When were you thinking?"

"I could fly up on the twenty-first if you're free?"

"Hold on, let me check." Quickly scrolling to that weekend, I noticed that it was Seth's birthday on that Saturday.

_Damnit._

Or maybe not. This could be a good thing, right? I wasn't sure what Seth had planned, but we'd probably end up in a club or something. Seth always made me look more hip than I actually was. Perfect!

"The twenty-first works for me, Jasper."

"Great!" I could hear the smile in his voice and was glad that I was the one who made him sound that way. "I'll book a flight this week and send you the info. What time should I aim to get in?"

"I'll be home by six, so anything around then will work. You could probably take a four o'clock flight, and my place is about a half hour from the airport by BART. Sorry, I'd offer to pick you up, but I don't have a car."

"Are you offering to let me stay with you?"

His voice was teasing, but I panicked and tried to backpedal. "I didn't think... you probably have other friends in the city, so if you'd rather—"

He jumped in before I could continue stammering. "Of course I want to stay with you, Edward, don't be ridiculous. I just didn't want to assume."

"Okay." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Let me give you my email address and you can send me the info."

We exchanged contact info and hung up shortly after. Deciding to run this all by the birthday boy, I called Seth to fill him in.

Seth quickly answered the phone. "I hate you, too, Edward. So, if you're calling to give me grief, I'll just get back to my Deadliest Catch marathon, thank you very much."

"Deadliest Catch? Really, Seth?"

"Hell, yes! The guys are just so manly, I love it. Grr!"

Laughing, I responded, "Anyway, you know it was totally your fault. I mean, who else says, 'Midnight is the perfect time to start doing shots of tequila!' Tequila, Seth."

"If you're going to complain about it, why do you listen to me when I make suggestions like that?"

"Really? Like you've ever simply _suggested_ anything in your life. Please. Anyway, I wasn't calling to harass you. Do you know what you're doing for your birthday yet?"

"Remember, Edward, we talked about this last night?" I tried to think back, but came up with nothing, admitting that things got fuzzy after the second round of shots. "You're such a lightweight, Edward. We're doing that wine tasting thing in Napa. I reserved a bus and you were going to plan the stops after talking to your friend, the sommelier."

"Oh, shit, now I remember." I groaned, worried that this would be a problem. Hopefully, Seth wouldn't mind a little extra company on the trip.

"Oh, shit, what? Don't even think about flaking. I will not hesitate to Naomi Campbell your ass!

"No, no it's fine. I'll do all that, but I just invited Jasper to come up that weekend. Do you care if he comes with us?"

"Oh, my God!" he shrieked in my ear. "Of course! There's totally enough room. A celeb at my party? I'm so excited!"

Seth's reaction unnerved me just a little. I didn't want him bragging to everyone that there would be a porn actor at his party, let alone that he would be my date. "Hey, Seth, don't say anything about Jasper, okay?"

"Relax, Edward, I'm not going to announce that you brought a porn star to my party. Everything will be fine. Besides, I'm sure our friends will be cool, even if they recognize him. Except maybe Peter. He'll be jealous as fuck that you're bringing someone, especially if he's as hot as you say. I think he still has a thing for you."

I rolled my eyes, annoyed, even though Seth couldn't see. "Whatever, that shit happened forever ago. I'm sure he's over our little hook up by now. Anyway, count us both in for the trip, okay?"

"Done."

~O~

The next two weeks passed in a blur. When I got back to work, Bella immediately ripped me a new one for not calling her back, forcing me to go to lunch with her and describe everything she didn't already know in explicit detail. Then, she admonished me for not taking her advice in the first place. I was honestly surprised by the response I had received from my friends so far, even though they were a pretty accepting group overall. I was especially glad that no one was passing judgment on Jasper and on the contrary, they were actually rooting for him.

Once Jasper emailed me his flight details, I called to fill him in on our plans. Friday night was going to just be the two of us, and then we'd get up early on Saturday to make it to the bus meeting spot by eight. He sounded really excited, telling me that he'd never been wine tasting before, which was plenty of incentive for me to put together an awesome itinerary. I worked with my friend Paul to come up with four different wineries for us to visit, one of which would serve us a picnic lunch.

During this time, Jasper and I began talking on the phone somewhat regularly. One afternoon, I came across an interesting article about one of the companies I was researching at the CES and called to get his opinion. It turned out that Jasper was quite knowledgeable and made some great insights from the consumer point of view. Another time, he called to ask me about a brunch spot in my town he had read about called Ella's and I eagerly agreed to take him on Sunday. After that, we called each other every couple of days just to see how things were going.

By the time Thursday night rolled around, I felt just about ready to jump out of my skin. I couldn't believe Jasper was going to be here the following day. It was almost as if he could sense that the direction of my thoughts had turned to him, as my phone started ringing and he was on the line.

"Jasper!" I answered excitedly. "Are you ready for the trip tomorrow?"

He responded in his lazy drawl. "Oh, I'm definitely ready for the trip, and more than ready to see you again."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it, too. I figure that we'll keep things mellow Friday night, just grab dinner somewhere around my place, if that's all right with you." I looked around, trying to picture him in my apartment.

"That sounds great. I have to be up a little earlier than usual tomorrow, so a mellow night is perfect."

"Oh, yeah?" I asked, intrigued. "What's going on?"

"Well," he started, sounding a little shy, "I have an interview."

I was completely caught off guard. "An interview? For what?"

"Some IT job. We'll see how it goes."

I was shocked. Seth was right, he was trying to get out of the porn industry. Well, unless it was IT for a porn company, but so what? Could things possibly work out between us? I tried to rein in my racing thoughts, not ready to get my hopes up just yet. There were still plenty of issues to deal with, including the distance. But still, it was something.

"What time do you have to be up?" I asked.

"Seven-thirty-ish."

"That's usually the time I'm walking to catch the train to work. Do you want me to give you a wake-up call?" I bit my lip, hoping that he wouldn't think it was silly.

"Really?" he asked. "That would be great!"

"No problem. Now, go get some rest. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Talk to you then."

Hanging up the phone, my head buzzed with questions about this new job-hunting development. This was definitely something we had to talk about, and I just had to figure out when to bring it up.

~O~

Friday morning I woke up with a raging case of morning wood. Foregoing my beloved snooze button, I got into the shower so I would have plenty of time to take care of it before work. If not, I'd be hard all fucking day thinking about Jasper and probably blow my load as soon as he touched me.

Not very attractive.

Of course, Jasper starred in my wank fantasy, as was so often the case lately. I imagined him in the shower with me, on his knees, sucking me slowly and teasing me with his fingers. It was nowhere near as good as the real thing, but I came embarrassingly fast.

Walking back into my bedroom, I reviewed my clothing choices carefully, knowing that I would see Jasper in these clothes later. I decided on a medium gray suit, white shirt with a blue and gray patterned Burberry tie. Throwing on my wool coat, I walked out the door, pulling out my phone and dialing Jasper's number.

On the third ring, he picked up and croaked, "Hello?"

"Good morning, Jasper. Time to wake up!" I announced.

"Hey, good morning," he responded, his drawl thick with sleep. "You on your way to the train?"

"Sure am! What about you? Ready to start the day?" I needed to tone it down a little. My voice sounded way too perky, especially at this time of day.

"I don't remember you being this much of a morning person," he commented.

"Yeah," I replied, chuckling at myself. "I don't know where that came from."

He laughed and said, "Well, since you asked, I'm definitely ready to start the day, since by the time it ends I'll be in San Fran with you."

I smiled into the phone. Jasper's words warmed me, even with the San Francisco chill trying to sneak under my coat. "Such a charmer, aren't you? Even when you're half asleep."

"I do my best. How far away is the train stop from your place?"

"Only a couple of blocks. Sometimes that seems like forever, though, if it's raining or cold out. Speaking of which, be sure to bring some warm clothes. San Francisco is just a little chillier than L.A." I didn't want him to be caught off guard with the weather.

"Thanks for the info. I'll keep that in mind." Just then, I reached the stop and saw the train coming from up the street.

"Shit, Jasper, I gotta run, the train's coming."

"No problem. Thanks for the wake up call and I'll see you later today."

"Yeah, see you later."

"And, Edward? Have a good day, all right?"

Smiling to myself I responded, "I will. You have a safe flight. And good luck today." We hung up and I climbed onto the train, grasping an overhead pole for balance. I couldn't help but feel that it was really nice to start the day talking with Jasper and even with people cramming onto the train at each subsequent stop, pushing against my sides and back, my mood stayed light.

When I finally got home, I took some time straightening up my place, too antsy to sit and relax. Frowning at my phone for the umpteenth time after checking for a text or voicemail, I let out a huff of frustration.

_What the fuck is taking so long? _

I was about to check his flight status when the doorbell finally rang. He was here.

With a burst of excitement mixed with a touch of anxiety, I skipped down the steps of my apartment and pulled open the door. Jasper stood on my doorstep, bag in hand, looking gorgeous as ever as the wind whipped his curls around his face. When he looked up and saw me, his mouth turned up into a wide smile, eyes crinkling in the corners. Dropping his bag, he reached out, settling his hand into the curve of my back, and pulled me flush against him. I let out a surprised gasp.

He only said one word, drawn out in a long whisper, but his voice sent a lusty shiver up my spine.

"Edward."

* * *

><p><strong>BART: Bay Area Rapid Transit, AKA the subway :)<strong>

**Thanks for reading. Please drop me a review, they absolutely make my day! I promise, even if it's just to call me a cockblocking bitch!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone, I hope you enjoy the next chapter!  
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**My beta, cocoalvin, is so wonderful that she was nominated in The Twifestivals for best beta! Please keep in mind that **any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.****

****This little story was also nominated in The Twifestivals for best UNF moment and I'm so flattered :DDD **Check out all the nominees and vote at http:/thetwifestivals(dot)blogspot(dot)com by August 3rd!  
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**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
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**Disclaimer: I own nothing except former roommates that might find description of their prior offenses below. Hmph.  
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><p><em>I was about to check his flight status when the doorbell finally rang. He was here.<em>

_With a burst of excitement mixed with a touch of anxiety, I skipped down the steps of my apartment and pulled open the door. Jasper stood on my doorstep, bag in hand, looking gorgeous as ever as the wind whipped his curls around his face. When he looked up and saw me, his mouth turned up into a wide smile, eyes crinkling in the corners. Dropping his bag, he reached out, settling his hand into the curve of my back, and pulled me flush against him. I let out a surprised gasp._

_He only said one word, drawn out in a long whisper, but his voice sent a lusty shiver up my spine._

_"Edward."_

~O~_  
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I sucked in a deep breath and let myself settle in his embrace for a moment. Feeling him shiver under his sweatshirt, I pulled back quickly.

"You must be freezing, Jasper! Come in." I gestured inside and saw his eyes widen slightly at the mountain of stairs that greeted him behind me. Chuckling, I grabbed his bag off the ground and started up the staircase before he could protest. When we reached the top, we were both struggling to catch our breath.

"Seriously, is this your daily workout?" he asked. "These stairs are ridiculous."

"Welcome to San Francisco." I replied, with a smile. "Most places here are built this way. It's part of the Victorian architecture." I opened the door to my place, curious as to what he would think about it. I had stopped living with roommates several years ago, after an incident where I found a pair of boxer shorts clearly kicked off in the heat of passion at the bottom of my sheets. They didn't belong to me, or the guy I was seeing at the time, and not one of my roommates took responsibility for them. It took weeks for Seth to finally admit that they were his boyfriend's, who had convinced him that they should make out in my bed for a thrill. Unfortunately, they were also his boyfriend's favorite underwear and he was heartbroken that I threw them away when they went unclaimed. He promised that they stopped before actually having sex, but I've never been fully convinced.

"This place is great, and I love the area you live in," Jasper said, while walking into the apartment.

"Thanks." His ice cold hand brushed me as he passed and I yelped. "Jesus, didn't I tell you to bring warm clothes? You're freezing!"

He looked at me sheepishly, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. I guess I don't really own any heavy coats anymore. Since moving to LA, I don't really need them."

I couldn't help but smile. "Luckily I've got some extra. I think we're about the same size?"

"I don't know," he said, a smirk crossing his face as he stepped in to me. "Let me take a closer look you." He wrapped his arms around my waist, tracing the contours of my back with his fingers as he hummed in concentration. "That's seems about right so far, but clothes can hide a lot. I think I'm going to need to get these off you, just to be sure."

"Well, I pride myself on being a good a host, so if that's what you need..."

"There's something else I need first, though," he said, staring at my mouth. My body stiffened with the anticipation of feeling his lips against mine. His eyes closed as he began leaning forward, but at the last minute he turned, resting his mouth on my cheek.

"Fucking tease," I grumbled, reaching my arms around his neck, and feeling his lips turn up into a smile against my skin.

"I'm only a tease if I don't give you what you want," he whispered, dragging his lips along my jaw. "And I definitely plan on giving you what you want, so don't worry your pretty little head." I answered with a groan. After all these nights we'd spent talking on the phone, it felt so fucking good to have his hands on me again.

Gently pressing his lips against mine, my body flooded with relief. He licked across my lips teasingly, and I opened my mouth to him, letting my own tongue peek out to touch his. Jasper tugged at the hem of my shirt, gently resting his hands at my waist once he pulled the fabric from my trousers. Our kiss deepened, and he began to unbutton my shirt, his cool fingers lightly brushing each inch of skin he exposed. When he finished, I dropped my arms from his neck, allowing him to push it from my shoulders.

I had expected our reunion to be a frantic reacquainting, but this was the opposite. It was slow and soft, and our kiss didn't break until necessary for me to pull Jasper's sweatshirt and tee over his head. "Show me your bedroom, Edward," he whispered, hands reaching for mine. I turned and led him down the short hallway and into the open door. Kicking off our pants and shoes, we sat on the bed, naked except for our underwear. I guided him to lie back onto the rich gold fabric of my comforter, hovering above him as I lightly ran my fingers up and down his long torso. Letting my fingers wander even farther, I brushed my thumb over his erection, eliciting a soft gasp from his lips. Finally I climbed on top of him, letting my weight fall against his cock before grinding my hips against him slowly.

"God, you feel so good." Jasper groaned into my ear as he reached his hands in to my hair, wrapping the strands in his fingers. I hummed my agreement. "You know what's going to feel even better though?" he asked.

My voice was slightly breathless when I asked, "What's that?"

"When I have you inside of me. I think about it all the time, Edward. I jerk off thinking about it, thinking about you."

I groaned. "Fuck, Jasper! Are you trying to fucking kill me?"

"No, sir," He replied playfully, emphasizing his drawl. "'Cause then I wouldn't get fucked." He smirked at me.

"Oh, yeah?" I asked, grinding down on him harder. "You ready to get fucked?"

"Yeah," he moaned, his voice cracking with need.

I kissed along his torso, pulling his briefs down and off his body as I moved. Unable to help myself, I licked a stripe from the base of Jasper's cock to the tip, lapping at the pre-cum gathered there before pulling my own briefs off. Shifting onto my side, I pulled lube and a condom from my nightstand before moving between his legs. Coating my fingers, I stretched him quickly before rolling the condom down my cock, teasing the head against his hole.

Jasper dug his fingers into my back and shifted his hips against me. "I'm ready, Edward," he rasped. "Please."

Supporting my weight on one hand, I pushed into him slowly, savoring the way his body gave to accommodate me. Pressing my lips against his, I stopped to let him adjust. God, it felt so fucking good to be inside Jasper again. Much as I enjoyed our times chatting on the phone, our sexual chemistry was undeniable. I began to move, slowly at first, quickly picking up pace when Jasper began to pant against my neck. He curled his fingers into my hair, pulling my lips to his and plunging his tongue into my mouth.

Breaking the kiss, I sat up onto my knees and wrapped my arms around his thighs, testing a few different angles before I found the one that made his head fall back and a shudder run through his body.

"Oh, my fucking God," he moaned, each thrust assaulting his prostate.

Sweat dripped down my neck and I didn't know how much longer I was going to last. I reached down to grip Jasper's cock and after a few pulls, he whispered, "Close."

I increased the force of my thrusts and the speed of my hand. He wrapped his arms behind his knees, abs clenching while he held his head up to watch the head of his cock disappearing in my fist. Throwing his head back, Jasper sucked in a deep breath as his body met each drive of my hips. His entire body tensed for a moment before starting to jerk erratically.

"Fuck, I'm—" He didn't finish his sentence before letting out a choked groan. His length swelled in my hand and when he started coming, his mouth fell open and his eyes screwed shut. With each pulse of cum leaving his body, he tightened around my cock impossibly, propelling me toward my already close orgasm.

I pulled his ass onto my thighs, thrusting deeply one last time. The tingle that began behind my balls swiftly moved up my shaft to the tip of my cock, teasing me for a moment before exploding out of my body as I cried out, "Ungh, fuck Jasper! Fuck!"

I fell forward onto my elbows, wrapping my arms around Jasper tightly while my cock pulsed inside of him, emptying into the condom. A shiver ran through my body just as I finished, collapsing onto him while his fingers ran through my hair reverently. We remained like that, sated in each other's arms, for a few moments.

When I pulled out of him, he sucked in a hiss of air through his teeth while furrowing his brow. Quickly, I walked to the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth to clean us up, shivering as the air cooled the sweat on my body. Pulling back the covers, I climbed underneath them, pulling Jasper with me.

"So good," he moaned, resting his head into the crook of my neck. I sighed contentedly and kissed him on his temple. "How about a little nap before dinner?"

"Sounds perfect, Jasper," I answered, trying to stifle a yawn, but failing. I was asleep in minutes.

~O~

An hour later, we dragged ourselves out of my bed and got dressed. When we reached the street, I grabbed his hand and we walked to a little café around the corner.

Once we were seated and had ordered drinks, I decided to broach the interview question. I'd been dying to ask about it since our conversation yesterday, but a little nervous for his answer as well.

"So, tell me about this interview you went on today, Jasper. How did it go?"

"It was alright, but I'm not totally sure about it. There were a lot of applicants. The job market is pretty tough for a recent grad, you know?"

"I can only imagine. But, what were you doing at the AVNs if you're looking for an IT job?

He took a deep breath, looking down as he answered. "I shot a bunch of stuff for Corbin Fisher just after graduation last summer. They've been releasing it over the last few months, so they wanted me to do some promotion."

Trying to sound nonchalant, I asked, "Oh. So you aren't working on anything else now?"

I think he knew that I was probing for information, and answered with a smile. "No, I'm not. I made a good chunk of money from the last set of movies I did, so I haven't needed to work. I still have some left in the bank, so I can take my time looking for a job that I'm really interested in."

I smiled. His answer was enough for now, although I didn't want to think about what would happen if he ran out of money. It wasn't my place to dictate what he could and couldn't do, no matter how I felt about it.

We called it an early night after dinner, falling asleep snuggled closely under the covers.

The next morning, I called a cab to pick us up at eight-thirty in the morning to take us to Seth's place. Jasper's sweatshirt wasn't going to cut it in this weather, so I gave him a dark gray coat and blue scarf to borrow, making his eyes absolutely pop. The boys were going to be jealous. Jasper looked fucking gorgeous.

When we reached Seth's, the small bus was already parked outside and a couple of guys were loading water and snacks into it. I grabbed Jasper's hand and led him up to the group.

"Sam! Eric!" I yelled. "How's it going, guys?"

"Good," Sam responded. "We got here a little early, and the birthday boy put us right to work."

"That sounds about right. Hey, I'd like you guys to meet Jasper."

They each looked him up and down, eyeing him appreciatively, before introducing themselves. In the meantime, Seth came bounding down the stairs, screeching to a stop right in front of us.

"Happy Birthday, Seth!" I exclaimed, giving him a hug.

"Thanks, Edward." He turned toward Jasper. "Well, well, well. You must be Jasper. I've heard _so_ much about you."

"Hmm, it seems that my reputation precedes me," he drawled, with a hint of a smirk on his face. Reaching out for a handshake, he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Seth, and Happy Birthday. I appreciate your letting me crash the party."

Seth turned back to me. "Gorgeous and polite? This one looks like a keeper." He linked his arm through Jasper's and led him to the bus. "The more the merrier, that's what I always say. Isn't that right, Edward?"

I yelled after them. "Seth, we don't need to expose Jasper to the details of your sex life quite yet."

Seth looked at me with a touch of disdain. "Look who's a comedian all of a sudden. Come on Jasper, let's get you a good seat. Also, we have coffee and muffins ready to go." Sam, Eric and I followed them onto the bus, and I slid in to the seat next to Jasper.

"Who else are we waiting for?" I asked.

"Um, Garrett, Alec, Jared, Paul, Brady, Demitri and Peter." I hoped that Jasper didn't notice me tense at the last name.

We drank coffee and snacked while the rest of the guys trickled in and Jasper charmed everyone with his good looks and warm personality. Everyone except Peter, it seemed. When they first met, Jasper greeted him sincerely, but I saw Peter's eyes narrow slightly as he took Jasper in, and then just sort of brushed him off. I smiled at Jasper apologetically and squeezed his hand. "Ex?" he asked quietly.

"Not really," I responded, with a shrug.

"Well, if it were me, I'd hate to see you with someone else, so I won't hold it against him." I couldn't help leaning over and placing a small kiss on his cheek.

"Jeez, get a room or something, will ya?" I could already tell that Seth was going to tease us every chance he got.

"Tell us where we're going, Edward," Brady yelled from a seat in the back.

I turned around to address the whole group. "Okay, first stop is Iron Horse. They mainly do sparkling wines. After that we're going to hit Lynmar, have lunch at Russian Hill, and then head into the tasting rooms at Healdsburg."

"Sounds perfect!" Seth exclaimed. "Now, let's get started with some mimosas, shall we?" Seth orchestrated the drink distribution and we all settled in for the hour and a half drive. I kept my hand on Jasper's leg the whole way, scratching at his thigh, or giving his knee a slight squeeze. Eric and Sam sat behind us, so we chatted with them most of the drive.

"So, you're from Texas, Jasper?" Eric asked.

Jasper responded in his thickest drawl. "Aw, what gave it away?" Eric laughed, giving him a smack on the shoulder. "Yeah, I drove out from Texas to LA for college."

"Wow, how long is that drive?" I interrupted.

"It can take two days, but I got held up by an incident just outside of Phoenix, so it took me three." Eric gestured for him to continue. "I was pretty bored on the drive, and picked up a hitchhiker in El Paso."

"Isn't that kind of dangerous?" Sam asked.

"Well, it was a tiny girl who seemed nice enough, so I figured I could take care of myself. She threw her stuff in the back and we started driving. We decided to stop in Phoenix to stretch our legs, and I made the mistake of getting pulled over by a cop for rolling through a stop sign. As soon as I stopped my truck, the girl jumped out and started running."

"Oh, my God!" Eric exclaimed.

Jasper continued. "The cop immediately looked at me like I'd done something wrong, but I explained the situation and let him know that her stuff was still in the back. He opened up the duffel bag, and asked me if I had any idea what was in there. I guess that I looked innocent enough when I said no, because he had me come over and look in the bag."

"What was in it?" Seth jumped in, obviously having been eavesdropping.

"It was a duffel bag full of wallets and cell phones. That's all that was in there. I spent the next couple of hours straightening things out at the local police station, crashed in a motel, and then went on my way the next morning. As far as I know, they never caught her."

"That's completely insane!" Seth cried, causing everyone to look in our direction.

"I know, right? So let that be a lesson to y'all. Never pick up a hitchhiker."

When the bus turned onto a rural road, Jasper stopped talking and looked out the window, mesmerized by the rustic winery on top of a hill overlooking the vines. "Wow," he said, "this is awesome." The tasting room at Iron Horse was unique in that it was outdoors, glasses set up on a wood bar, held up by old wine barrels. Thankfully, there were heaters set up as well.

Stepping off the bus, we walked to the bar in small groups. Jasper blew into his hands and rubbed them together, trying to warm them up. I slung my arm around his waist, tucking into his side. "Come on," I said. "We'll get a spot next to a heater."

Looking at me gratefully, we secured our location, and cuddled up closely. Shortly after everyone lined up, the pourer called us to attention.

"Hi everyone! Welcome to Iron Horse, I'm Jessica. Go ahead and take a look at the list in front of you." Jasper and I looked at the list of twelve wines. "We'll be pouring all of those for you." Jasper looked at me and mouthed, "Oh, shit."

"Who here has never been wine tasting before?" Jasper's hand shot right up, and eleven pairs of eyes turned toward him. His cheeks turned pink with embarrassment and he turned to hide his face in my shoulder.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed." I told him. "Trust me, no one here has any clue of what they're doing. Present company included."

Jessica walked over, obviously checking him out. "Well, hello there, gorgeous." Then she winked at me. "I'm not too worried, because it looks like you've got someone to hold your hand through it. But," she turned to address the group again, "how about we go over the basics, for everyone?"

"Yes, please!" yelled Seth. "And just so you know, Jessica, I'm the birthday boy, so I'd better be getting just as much attention as the cowboy at the end of the bar!"

"Well, of course! Happy Birthday! We'll get the tasting started with you, then."

Seth turned his nose up in my direction as Jessica crossed the bar.

"We're going to start with our Classic Vintage Brut." Another girl helped pour a small amount into each of our glasses. "Now, rule number one. You don't have to drink it all, feel free to pour out anything you don't want. You can just turn around and tip the glass over onto the lawn behind you." Choruses of, "Yeah, right," rumbled through the crowd, but I had a feeling some of us would be taking her up on that option.

"Okay, everyone grab your glasses. Swirl them around a little bit. We do this to get a little bit of air into the wine, let it breathe a bit. First, take a look at the color. It is a rich golden color, or more like pale straw? Also, take a look at the bubbles in the glass. Are they big or small? Are there a lot or a little? Now, stick your nose in the glass and see if you can pick out any scents."

Seth yelped from across the bar. "Sorry, the bubbles tickled my nose!"

"Yeah, be careful not to stick your nose in too far where it doesn't belong," she teased. "Moving on to the good part. Give the wine a little sip. Does it taste clean or does it coat your mouth with creaminess? Can you pick out any flavors? Personally, I think this one has hints of buttered toast."

Everyone brought their glasses to their lips and began to hum in agreement. Jessica walked back over to us and asked, "You got all that, cowboy?"

Jasper lowered his glass down and smiled. "I think so, ma'am. Thanks for the instruction." We finished our glasses and I leaned over for light peck on his lips.

"You taste delicious," I told him. Jasper leaned in for another kiss, while I tucked a curl behind his ear.

"Oh, God," Seth groaned, looking at Jasper and I. "Please, Jessica, more champagne before I start feeling sorry for myself."

"Actually, hon," she said while pouring him the next wine on the list. "This is technically called sparkling wine. Champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France.

"Really?" Seth responded. "Well, I like the name sparkling better. It's much more fitting for someone with my personality."

"Yeah, yeah" Sam said. "You're a firework and all that jazz." Which earned him a smack from the birthday boy.

We made our way down the list and everyone started feeling loose from the bubbly. Jasper was giggling as Jessica poured us their Russian Cuvee, originally designed for the historic Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meetings ending the Cold War. "This is really good," he said, "but I think I might need to pour the rest of it out. I'd better slow down if this is only our first stop."

"That's a good idea." I walked over to the lawn with him, pouring the liquid out on the manicured lawn. "None of the other places are going to have this much to taste. Usually they'll have four or five wines. Definitely not twelve!"

Jasper laughed. "Thank God! I wouldn't want your friends to think that I was a big lightweight!" I laughed, and Jasper continued to speak. "Thanks for inviting me, Edward. I'm having a really good time with you, and your friends are really nice."

"I'm glad you're here," I told him, feeling warmth spread throughout my body. "But, don't let my friends fool you. This is only the first stop and they're still on their best behavior."

At the end of the tasting, I decided to purchase a few bottles to take home. With my wallet a little lighter, we boarded the bus to head to our next destination.

The Lynmar tasting room had a simple elegance to it, with large windows giving us a beautiful view of their Redwood Grove. "Oh, wow," Jasper said, eyes wide. "This is so pretty."

"It sure is," I responded. As we settled in with our first taste, I asked, "Are you an outdoorsy sort of person? Or more of a lie by the pool with a margarita type?"

"I certainly wouldn't knock laying by a pool with a cocktail on a hot summer day, but I love camping and hiking, that sort of stuff."

"Have you ever camped in Big Sur?" I asked.

"Not yet, but I hear that it's awesome."

"Yeah," I said. "We'll have to go sometime." A wide smile crossed his face and he leaned in for a kiss.

"I'd like that." He brought the glass of chardonnay to his lips and took a sip. "Mmm," he said, sounding surprised. "That's good. I don't usually drink white wine, but I like this."

I tried it and he was right, the wine was delicious. "You've got good taste, Jasper. I think I'm going to buy a bottle." I shook my head at myself. "I'm going to spend so much fucking money today." My buzz was not helping with restraint.

"Don't worry, Edward," he responded with a smile. "I promise to help you drink all your purchases."

"Be careful," I said. "I just might hold you to that."

We took a few photos, and then boarded the bus for our next stop, Russian Hill Estate Vineyard. While we had been tasting at Lynmar, the bus driver picked up sandwiches that we ordered on the first part of the drive. The timing was perfect, because I didn't know how much longer I could drink without eating anything, and I was pretty sure Jasper felt the same way from the way he hung onto my arm while we walked.

We got through the tasting pretty quickly, the highlights being their range of Pinot Noir. As we were walking out to the courtyard where lunch was set up, Jasper and I passed by a display of rosé called Patio Pink. "Oh my god, do you think that's any good?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know," I responded, looking at the back of the bottle. "It says that it's a dry rosé, so it shouldn't be too sweet, like most California rosés."

"I think I have to buy that for my sister, Rose. She's the least girly girl you've ever met, it will be hilarious."

I turned toward the pourer. "Excuse me, sir? Are you guys pouring this wine? We might want to buy a couple of bottles."

"Ah, I think I could open one of these up for you to try," the older gentleman said.

"Really?" Jasper asked, excitedly.

"Sure. Come on back over here."

The bottle was a screw top, so he didn't have to do much to get it open and pour us a glass. "Thank you, sir," Jasper said, polite as always. He took a sip and turned to me. "This is perfect! She'll hate that it's pink, but it's so good that she'll drink it anyway!"

I laughed. "I'm going to buy some for Seth, also. He will actually love that it's pink." I turned back to the pourer. "We'll take three bottles of that one. And can we buy the one that you just opened to drink with our lunch?"

"No problem. Just take it now and we'll settle up when you're through." When we came outside and sat down, it took a minute for everyone to realize that we had bought a bottle. Once they did, though, it was a mad dash inside for them to buy some to drink with lunch as well. Seth, however, bounced over to our table and pushed a cup in our direction.

"Thanks, Edward," he said.

"You're welcome, Seth. And, if you're good, there'll be another bottle waiting for you as a souvenir."

"Oh, honey, I'm always good," he replied, with a smirk. "And you know that I love presents, especially ones that get me tipsy."

"I think you passed tipsy about an hour ago, buddy."

He looked at me with mock appall on his face, before shrugging his shoulders. "Ah, fuck it. It's my birthday, I'm allowed to be ridiculous."

"Of course you are," I responded.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Peter heading in our direction.

Shit.

He took the seat next to Seth. "Hey sweetie," he said, planting a kiss on Seth's cheek. "Are you having fun?"

"Hell, yes." Seth answered. "By the way, thanks for putting this together, Edward."

"It was my pleasure, Seth."

Peter turned to Jasper. "It's Jasper, right?" He nodded. "How did you and Edward meet?"

I tensed, unsure of what Jasper was going to say. "Um, we met in Vegas a few weeks ago," he answered.

"Yeah, at the Consumer Electronics Show," I interrupted.

"Mm-hmm. Edward was there for work, and I'm just a nerd."

"Really? Well, what do you do for work, then, Jasper?"

He cleared his throat. "I graduated from college last summer with a tech degree, but I'm still looking for a job. It's been pretty tough out there so far."

Peter's eyes lit up with some emotion between envy and mischief. "So that makes you how old, Jasper?

"Twenty-two."

"Edward, you've got yourself a bit of a boy toy here, huh? You know, Jasper, Edward does very well for himself." Peter raised his eyebrows.

I shot him a warning look. "Are you calling me an old man, Pete? Way to hurt my feelings."

"Oh, touchy."

Seth jumped in. "Peter, stop being such a bitchy bottom, and drink some of your pink wine."

"Hmph. I was just saying." He turned around, pretending to be distracted by something. "Oh, I'll be right back." Peter got up and crossed the patio to sit with Ben.

"Sorry about that, Jasper," Seth said. "He's actually the youngest of the group and seems to be a little jealous of the fresh blood."

Jasper's drawl was thick when he spoke next. "Oh, it's fine. I am here with the best looking guy in the group, so I can understand the jealousy."

"Hey!" Seth squealed.

"Uh, shit, I mean…"

"It's okay. I can see that you have blinders on for this one, so I'll let it slide…this time."

By the time we made it to the final tasting rooms, I'm pretty sure that we were no longer able to taste the difference between a red and a white, but that didn't stop us from enjoying them anyway. Jasper got more and more cuddly the tipsier he got, keeping his arm wrapped around my waist constantly. On the bus ride home, he fell asleep with his head on my shoulder, mouth slightly parted. He looked like an angel with his blond curls framing his face.

When we reached Seth's apartment, I woke Jasper up and led him off the bus. Arriving at my place, he was still groggy, but a little more alert. We spent the rest of the evening snacking on pizza from my favorite spot and watching movies on Netflix, cuddled up on the couch.

Everything was perfect, except for the fact that he had to leave the following day.

~O~

The next morning, I took Jasper to Ella's for brunch, as he had requested. It had been a while since I'd eaten here and had forgotten how good the food was. We feasted on chicken hash, eggs and banana pancakes, washed down with a blood orange mimosa.

"Fuck, that was delicious," he said, rubbing his stomach.

"Yeah," I groaned, "and I'm stuffed!"

"Whew, I'm going to sleep like a baby on the plane this afternoon." I wasn't sure if he could see my face fall at the prospect of him leaving, but he grabbed my hand across the table. "So, when am I going to get you down to LA to visit me?"

After this weekend, I knew. I really liked Jasper, and wanted to see what happened with us. "I don't have too much going on in February. How's your schedule?"

"I have an idea!" he exclaimed. "Why don't you come down over President's Day weekend? You'll get Monday off, right?"

"That sounds good," I responded happily. "I'll check my schedule, but it should work."

The smile that broke across his face was breathtaking.

Back at my apartment, I confirmed that the weekend was free while Jasper packed up his bag, along with his bottle of Patio Pink. It was cold outside as we walked to the corner of my street where he could catch a cab, so I wrapped my arms around him tightly until I spotted an open cab coming our way. Tearing ourselves away from each other, I threw his bag in the trunk and, with one last kiss, I closed the car door and watched him drive away.

As I walked back home, my chest warmed with thoughts of how much fun we had this weekend and I knew that I had made the right decision in trusting my heart. Once inside my apartment, I had barely removed my coat when my cell phone started ringing. Assuming it was Jasper, I answered without checking the caller ID, hoping he hadn't forgotten anything important. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

"Peter, what can I do for you?"

"Edward, as your friend, I thought you should know that Jasper isn't who he says he is."

_Shit_.

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><p><strong>Ruh-roh. Please leave me a review and let me know if you think Peter can keep his big trap shut! And if you enjoyed the reunion :)<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Please enjoy the next chapter!**

**My beta, cocoalvin, is bad ass, especially when she wrangles my reckless punctuation. **Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**  
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**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff! Also, there's a ton of new great slash out there right now, courtesy of the Slash Backslash 3.0. Check out all the entries at **www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/Slash_Backslash_3_0/74941/14/0/1/**  
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**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but owe a huge thank you to harrytwifan for pre-reading this chapter for me :)  
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><p>…<em>As I walked back home, my chest warmed with thoughts of how much fun we had this weekend and I knew that I had made the right decision in trusting my heart. Once inside my apartment, I had barely removed my coat when my cell phone started ringing. Assuming it was Jasper, I answered without checking the caller ID, hoping he hadn't forgotten anything important. Unfortunately, I was wrong.<em>

"_Peter, what can I do for you?"_

"_Edward, as your friend, I thought you should know that Jasper isn't who he says he is."_

_Shit._

~O~

"What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Well, I hate having to tell you this, especially since he seemed like such a nice guy," Peter started, not sounding sorry at all, "but I've seen him before, Edward. The guy does _porn_."

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

I felt my heart jump into my throat and couldn't respond. Peter took my silence as shock and continued talking.

"I just couldn't shake the feeling that he looked familiar and as soon as I got home, I realized how I recognized him."

_Okay, breathe Edward. You have to say something._

"I'm sorry sweetie—"

"Peter, I already know." I had to cut him off before he kept babbling.

"What?" He sounded shocked.

"I already know about Jasper."

"Oh." Peter was quiet for a moment. "Well, I'm a little surprised that it doesn't seem to bother you, Edward."

"Why is that?" I asked, immediately feeling defensive.

"I don't know... you're just so conservative, and it seems kinda trashy to date a porn star, that's all."

I wanted to yell at Peter for talking about Jasper like that, but couldn't. After all, hadn't I said the exact same thing when I found out?

"Look, Peter, I'm totally familiar with his background and have no issues with it." A little white lie wouldn't hurt, right? "Jasper is a great guy and I don't appreciate you speaking about him like that. Besides, he's not even in the industry any more."

"Uh-huh. Sure, Edward. I've got to run, but seriously, I'd still double bag it if I were you." Peter hung up before I could even respond. He was completely infuriating!

Immediately, I dialed Seth's number and he answered on the second ring. "Finally decide to come up for air, and make sure that your poor friend is surviving his post-birthday hangover?"

"No, I was actually calling to see if you wanted to grab some dinner. Or, I could bring over something to eat?" My voice lifted a little at the end and I was hoping he'd be content to stay in.

"This is worse than I suspected. Are you going into snuggle withdrawals already, without your big, sexy cowboy to keep you warm?"

"Actually, I have a real problem that I need to talk to you about. Peter just called me. He figured out who Jasper is. Of all our friends, I should've known he'd watch the most porn."

I heard Seth inhale deeply before whispering, "Shit."

"My thoughts exactly."

"Okay. I'll order the pizza, you just get here around seven."

~O~

Seth plopped onto the couch unceremoniously before starting to talk. "Think of it this way, at least everyone got to meet him before Peter blabs about his former career."

"I know, but—"

"No buts! He charmed the hell out of everyone, and if anyone has a problem with it, then they can fuck off."

"Easy for you to say, Seth. The thing is, I felt so guilty when Peter started saying those things about him, because I felt the same way when I found out. Does that make me a horrible person?

"Don't be ridiculous, Edward. Luckily, you pulled your head out of your ass in time to get some hot cowboy action. Anyway, who cares what that he thinks?"

"Yeah, I know you're right, but the thought of everyone gossiping about Jasper just makes me mad, you know?"

"I know, but if you don't let it bother you, it will blow over soon enough."

"Yeah, we'll see about that. Hopefully I'll survive the rumor mill. By the time the story gets fully dispersed, I'll probably be leaving San Francisco to start a porn company with Jasper." Seth shook his head, laughing in response. "In the meantime, hand over another slice of pepperoni, will ya?"

"You sure, Cullen? A minute on the lips, forever on the hips. And you know the camera adds ten pounds to your figure." I grabbed a pillow next to me on the couch and chucked it at Seth's face. "All right, fine!" he yelled. "Don't mess with the moneymaker!"

"Seth, you work on a computer all day."

"Whatever. Maybe I'll leave, too, with dreams of joining the Cullen porno empire. I will now and forever be known as Chief Longbow. You'll be Max Rammage."

I nearly choked on my soda.

~O~

I felt much better the next day when I headed into the office. Wearing the coat and scarf that I had loaned Jasper, I inhaled a deep breath of his scent that was still lingering on my clothes. The morning flew by and just a bit before lunch, Jasper called me.

"Hi," I answered, a little softly. I stood up, walking around the large mahogany desk to close my office door.

"Hey!" he responded, enthusiastically. "Is this a good time?"

"Yeah. I'm meeting Bella for lunch soon, but I've got a couple of minutes to talk. How was your flight?" I asked, as I sat back down.

"It was all right." He dragged out the last syllable in a languid drawl. "It felt a lot longer than an hour and fifteen minutes, though."

"Why's that? Were you stuck in a middle seat? Next to a crying baby? Four year old kicking you?"

"No! Thank God," he chuckled, before his voice turned deep again. "My problem was that I couldn't stop thinking about how we spent the morning."

_Gulp_.

Quickly flashing back to the previous day, I groaned at the memory of feeling Jasper's lips all over my body. "Mm, that certainly was a good way to start the day, wasn't it?" I leaned back, relaxing into my leather chair.

"Sure was... it was very sad this morning when I woke up all by my lonesome."

I heard some rustling in the background. It sounded like Jasper was shifting around when it hit me. "Wait a second, are you still in bed right now?"

"Hmm, maybe," he said, coyly.

"Are you aware that it's almost noon?"

"Already, huh? That's one of the few perks of being unemployed." His voice was breathy, but there was a hint of laughter in his tone.

"Jasper," I responded, sternly.

"Yeah, Edward," he replied, moaning softly.

I whispered, "Are you touching yourself right now?"

I could practically hear him smile. "What's it to ya?"

"Jasper!"

"Uh-oh, looks like I got caught."

My skin heated up and it felt like my tie was choking me. "Jesus Christ. I don't really think you were trying to hide it, were you, Jasper?"

"Looks like I got caught again," he drawled, "Am I in trouble?"

I ran a hand down my chest slowly as I answered, "I think so, Mr. Whitlock, and I'll remember that the next time I see you."

Jasper groaned. "I'm sorry, I just woke up from the most awesome dream, and really wanted to hear your voice." He sounded rough and lusty, and my cock began to stir in response. With Jasper breathing hard against my ear, I pressed a hand against my crotch to adjust myself, and the pressure felt so good.

Picturing a sleep-soft Jasper, naked in bed, I asked, "Tell me about it."

"Well, we were in bed together, naked of course." I imagined Jasper's long tan torso stretched across my sheets.

"Of course we were." I started lightly brushing my fingers up and down my length as he spoke.

"I had your arms pinned over your head, kissing you while you squirmed underneath me."

I pressed my palm against the base of my erection and sucked in a quick breath at the relief. "Yeah," I groaned, prompting him to continue.

"I straddled your waist to keep you still, and then started licking and sucking my way down to your neck."

"Fuck, Jasper." I could imagine how good that would feel and leaned my head back against my chair, closing my eyes.

"Mmm, you tasted so fucking good." He groaned softly, his breathing getting heavier. "I couldn't help but want more. I licked my way down your chest," his breath hitched, "across your stomach, between your legs until I had your gorgeous cock in my mouth." My hips began rutting lightly against my hand. Jasper moaned, and I could picture him, his mouth falling slightly open, panting, while his hand firmly stroked his cock.

God, he was so fucking sexy. His words, his sounds, everything was turning me on and I was lost in his panting groans, rubbing my own cock harder through my pants.

I was so distracted that I had completely forgotten about my lunch with Bella until the door to my office flew open. "Edward, are you— Oh, my God!" she shrieked, turning away from me and quickly slamming the door shut.

My skin felt like it had caught fire from the blush rapidly spreading across my face. I was rendered completely speechless while my dick deflated, having been caught engaging in completely shameless crotch rubbing while in my office.

Jasper's voice barely registered in the background. It was possible that I had just died from embarrassment.

"Edward? Are you there? Is everything okay?"

"Edward!"

His yell snapped me from my daze.

"I'm gonna have to call you later, Jasper. Bella just walked in on me practically jerking off to your voice in my office."

His voice came out in a squeak. "Oh shit, Edward, I'm so sorry! Are you mad at me?" I could hear the concern in his tone, even though this was clearly my fault for not paying attention to the time and letting things get carried away.

I tried to make my voice soft. "No, Jasper. I swear it would've been amazingly sexy if I hadn't been caught."

He breathed out a sigh. "Let me make it up to you, okay?"

"Oh, I'll hold you to that. I'll give you a call when I get home."

Hanging up, I rose from my desk, sensing that my face was still on fire. When I opened the door, Bella was standing just outside with her hand covering her mouth. I was pretty sure she was trying to conceal laughter.

Walking up to her, I said, with an attempt at finality, "Let us never speak of this again, Bella."

She whispered back, "Are you fucking kidding me? I just witnessed a scene that will lend itself to massive amounts of bribery to keep me from talking about it _all the time_."

I should have known. "Oh, my God, let's just get out of here."

As soon as we hit the street, Bella burst out in laughter.

"I'm so glad I amuse you."

"No… no… your face… you should have seen your face," she managed to spit out, between fits of giggles. "It was like…" She leaned her head back and let her mouth fall open, looking somewhere between the throes of ecstasy and complete horror.

I imagined that's exactly what I looked like when she walked in. We walked into the sandwich shop and ordered at the counter before snagging a table.

Bella was still erupting in laughter. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Bella. Don't make me tell Mike you have a crush on him."

She stopped laughing and narrowed her eyes at me. "You wouldn't!"

"Oh, I would. I can just imagine him trying to woo you with his douche-y ways in front of Jake, too."

"Ugh, you're no fun, Cullen. Didn't I say that in Vegas, too? No fun."

As we walked back to the office Bella tried to rein in her laughter, but with no luck, unfortunately for me. I even kept the door to my office open the rest of the day, but she still knocked loudly before peering around the corner of the door with her hand covering her face, asking if her virgin eyes were safe.

Finally, I brought out the big guns. I walked up to Newton right in front of her and threw my arm around his shoulders, pulling his head close to mine as if I was whispering a secret to him. Sure, I had to make up that I heard that Lauren from accounting had been asking about him, but it had the desired effect when he pulled me into a bro hug and yelled, "I am all over it, buddy! Thanks for helping a brother out!" As he walked away, shooting finger guns at me, I looked over and gave Bella a wink, whose face had gone pale.

That would teach her to mess with me.

I decided to hit the gym on my way home, and by the time I had showered and eaten dinner it was already pretty late. Around ten-thirty, I settled into bed and called Jasper.

He picked up on the first ring, and sounded a little frantic when he said, "Hello? Edward?"

"Hey, Jasper. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, my God, is everything okay with work? Are you in trouble? I'm so sorry."

"Relax, I'm fine. I would've called earlier if I knew you were so worried!" I felt terrible that he had been concerned all day.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated. "I feel like such an idiot for what I did."

"Hey, Jas," I said, needing to reassure him that it was okay. "Please stop worrying about it. Everything's fine, except for maybe a wounded ego on my part considering that Bella laughed her ass off for the rest of the day. Don't worry, we're really close, so I promise I'm not in any trouble. I did, however, get back at her."

I heard him suck in a breath in surprise. "What did you do?"

"I may, or may not, have led her to believe that I told the office douche bag she had a crush on him."

"You didn't!"

"Well, no, I didn't, but it sure looked like it when I whispered in his ear in front of her desk."

"Tricky... I'm learning quite a bit about you, Edward Cullen."

"Well, you're about to learn something else. When someone makes a promise, I expect them to follow through."

His voice turned a little more seductive. "I'm not sure what you're referring to?"

"Oh, I think you know. I'm naked in bed right now," I heard him groan, "and I want to hear how your dream ended."

"Wait, hold on," he said, and I heard some shuffling in the background. "Okay, now I'm in bed, too." I hummed my approval. "I think I almost had your cock in my mouth when we were so rudely interrupted?"

"Mm, yes. What happened next?" I asked, reaching under the covers and lightly running my fingertips up and down my hardening length.

"You tasted so good, baby. I licked you all over, getting you nice and wet for me before sucking you." His honey voice sent a shiver down my spine.

"Fuck, Jasper," I said, blindly reaching into my nightstand for lube. Squeezing some into my hand, I moaned loudly as I gripped my cock, imagining that my slick hand was Jasper's mouth working me instead.

"That comes next, but first I licked all the way down to your pretty little hole." My breath hitched as I reached down with my finger, lightly rubbing my around my entrance. "You like that, don't you?"

"Yeah, I fucking love it." I started moving the hand on my cock faster while pushing my finger in and out of my hole.

"I could make you come from that, couldn't I? Just licking you and sticking my fingers inside of you?" he asked, his deep drawl interrupted by a hitching breath.

"Oh, God, yes."

"Maybe we'll try that next time. You whimpered when I stopped, and I had to kiss the pout right off your face." I couldn't help but laugh.

"I rolled us over so you were lying on top of me and asked you to ride me." His breathing started to stutter. "You sat up, teasing me by letting my cock drag between your delicious cheeks. Finally you slid down onto me and it was so warm and tight. You— _fuck_— You started grinding your hips down on me, and it felt so fucking good."

"Close," I whispered, picking up speed and concentrating my fingers just under the head of my cock.

"Me too, baby. Fuck, you looked so hot sitting on my dick. Will you do that for me next time? Will you ride me so I can see your sexy fucking body?"

"Mm-hm," I replied with my lips pressed together hard, muffling my moans as I began to tip over the edge, my muscles tightening and starting to quiver.

"Let me hear you," he whispered. "Let me hear you come for me." My mouth fell open and I cried out with short, stuttered pants as I came, spurts of warm fluid hitting my abs and chest.

Just as I caught my breath, I heard Jasper groan before he saying, "Coming, Edward, fuck!" I continued to stroke myself through his orgasm, sparks of pleasure tingling throughout my body.

We sat there, just breathing on the line for a minute before Jasper spoke. "Mmm, we're going to have to do that more often." His voice was soft and sleepy-sounding, causing his drawl to come out even thicker than usual.

"Yeah, you give excellent phone sex," I replied, my voice cracking from the dryness in my throat.

He chuckled. "Phone sex, the gift that keeps on giving. Wait until you see what I can do on Skype."

Fuck, I could only imagine. "That definitely sounds like a date." I yawned loudly as I took a short sip of water and grabbed some wipes from the drawer in my nightstand.

"I heard that," he said. "I guess that means I should let you get some sleep. Can't have you getting into any more trouble at work. Talk tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll give you a call." My chest flooded with warmth as we whispered goodnight and hung up. Pulling my comforter over my chest, I grabbed a pillow and curled myself around it.

I would have much preferred that it was Jasper, instead.

~O~

Friday night, I had made plans to have dinner with the guys. Seth and I met a little early at a bar down the street from my office for happy hour and, as was typical lately, the conversation turned to Jasper.

Seth started, "I really think you should just tell them about him."

"Why do I need to announce that the guy I'm seeing used to do porn? Is that really necessary?"

"Normally, I would say no, but I'm pretty sure that Peter has already told everyone." I groaned in response. "I think you're better off not acting like you're trying to hide it. Come on, own it Edward!"

Ugh. Deep down, I knew Seth was right, but I still didn't understand why it was anyone's fucking business. As we finished our drinks and walked to the restaurant, I found myself getting more frustrated and less embarrassed about the situation. Seth was right, the guys had already met him and knew he was awesome, so why should it matter what he did before we met?

We waited at the bar for the rest of our group to show up and I had another cocktail to help calm myself down. Pulling off my suit jacket and rolling up my shirtsleeves, I decided that I was just going to say it, and if anyone had a problem with Jasper, then screw 'em.

_Yeah_.

Easier said than done. Once we had all sat at the table and ordered from the waitress, Seth nudged me before raising his eyebrows at me to get on with it. I quickly glanced around the table at the faces of my friends: Sam, Eric, Brady and Alec, before clearing my throat. "Guys?"

Suddenly there were five pairs of eyes on me. "Um, so I have an interesting piece of news." Seth snickered next to me and I kicked him under the table. He was not helping. "Remember Jasper, from this weekend?"

"Of course we do, Edward, he was gorgeous," responded Eric. Sam gave him the stink eye, but Eric defended himself. "What? Anyone could see that. I'm not dead, you know, babe."

"All right, no need for a lover's quarrel, boys." They quickly pecked each other on the lips before I continued. "Well, it turns out that he..."

_Just say it, Edward._

"usedtodoporn." I inhaled a deep breath and looked around the table again. The faces all looked rather unimpressed. "Um, that's it."

Sam was the first one to respond. "Apparently, you forgot that you already told me and Eric the night you got back from Vegas. When you were wasted. You were all," he pretended to slur his words, "_You should see him fuck. He's so hot_."

I groaned, putting my head in my hands. "I didn't."

Eric laughed. "You did. It was hilarious."

I looked over at Seth to confirm. "I forgot, too! I was almost as drunk as you were that night!"

"Um, and the rest of us already know, too." Brady interrupted.

"What?" I asked. "How?" Brady gave me a pointed look, and I answered my own question. "Peter."

The guys nodded their heads, and Brady was the first to respond. "Edward, we don't care. He was really nice."

Alec looked a little squirmy in his seat, and had yet to say anything. When I looked directly at him he started blushing furiously. "Alec? Is everything okay?" I asked.

He ran a hand through his dark brown hair and took a deep breath. "Ugh, fine! After Peter called me, I looked Jasper up on the Internet. Sorry."

A spike of jealousy ran through my chest. If I had to guess, every single person at this table had looked him up. All of my friends had watched Jasper having sex.

It wasn't a good feeling.

"Has everyone looked him up?" My friends had the decency to look a little sheepish, but they all nodded yes. "Well, I guess that's something I'll have to get used to if I stay with him." The pleasant surprise I had at their initial reaction had dulled with the disappointment that this would probably always happen. Hell, I'd even wager that Bella had looked him up too.

The table turned quiet and I quickly drained my cocktail. Seth raised his hand to signal the waitress for another round.

"Edward, it's really not a big deal," Brady said. "I think most of us are more than a little jealous of you after watching his videos." Sam made an offended noise and I gave a small laugh in response. "Now that's better. Fucking enjoy it, man. He's hot." That was one thing there was no question about. Jasper _was_ hot, as well as sweet and sexy and kind and everyone here knew it.

The conversation turned to other subjects and no one brought up Jasper again, but I was torn. It was a relief that the information was out there, but my fear about people seeing his work was confirmed and I didn't like it one bit.

At least it was in the past. That was something I could work with.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed Jasper being a bit of a troublemaker... please drop me a line and let me know what you think!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi Guys! Here's a quicker than usual update for these two - I'm skipping town for vacay at the end of the week, but I didn't want you to have to wait too long to read about their first night back together again!**

**My lovely beta, cocoalvin, is also on vacation, but the always wonderful harrytwifan was kind enough to step in and beta for me! Hugs and kisses to you, sweetie! Any errors you see on the final edit are mine alone!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own these boys, but I do own (gasp!) a Slanket. And it's the greatest thing ever!**

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><p><em>The conversation turned to other subjects and no one brought up Jasper again, but I was torn. It was a relief that the information was out there, but my fear about people seeing his work was confirmed and I didn't like it one bit.<em>

_At least it was in the past. That was something I could work with._

**~O~**

I was sitting at the airport sipping on a Jack and Coke when I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, indicating a new text.

_Call me as soon as you land. Can't wait to see you!_

Smiling to myself, I thought back on the last few weeks. It hadn't been long since Jasper's trip to San Francisco, but we had spent a lot of time on the phone getting to know each other. I knew my feelings for him were becoming stronger, but as much as I enjoyed our nightly conversations, something felt off. There was an annoyed, almost frustrated feeling in my gut that I couldn't have him with me whenever I wanted.

I missed him. And it sucked.

I typed out a quick reply.

_You'll be the cowboy in the black Civic, right?_

He responded right away.

_My trusty steed. You got it!_

Overhearing the announcement that my flight was about to begin boarding, I quickly downed the rest of my drink. The flight was quick, just over an hour, and I passed the time flipping through the Sky Mall magazine, laughing at some of their ridiculous offerings. Who really needed a head spa massager that looked like something out of Star Trek, or worse, something out of The Black Eyed Peas' closet? I couldn't lie, though, the Slanket caught my eye, but I would certainly draw the line at the Siamese version of it.

I mean, Jasper and I would look ridiculous in that.

Laughing to myself at the image, I reasoned that my airplane drink was starting to affect my judgment. Luckily, before I could make any ridiculous purchases, the plane began its descent into Los Angeles. Once we hit the tarmac I dialed Jasper's number, hardly able to contain my excitement to see him again.

"Hey!" He sounded as excited as I felt.

"Hi, Jas! I just landed."

"All right, I'll get'cha right at baggage claim."

The flight attendants signaled that we could start gathering our stuff, so I quickly got off the phone. Standing up, I huffed, annoyed that the crowd in front of me seemed to be moving at a snail's pace when disembarking from the plane.

_Jeez, hurry up people!_

Finally off the airplane, I followed the signs toward baggage claim. I assumed that Jasper planned to pick me up at the curb just outside, so I started scouting for the exits as the escalator made its way to the ground floor. Stepping off, I was ecstatic to be greeted by a wide smile and blond curls in the crowd. Jasper was adorable, bouncing on the balls of his feet, shifting from side to side, trying to make sure I saw him. As soon as we made eye contact he started waiving wildly.

The excitement in my chest turned into something more, an overwhelming warmth that I couldn't define.

I pushed forward through the crowd. Reaching Jasper, I set my roller bag down and threw my arms around his shoulders, taking a quick moment to inhale his scent.

"Hey, baby," Jasper whispered in my ear, settling his hands at my waist and letting his lips brush a light kiss onto my cheek. "Why don't we get out of here?" We broke apart quickly, and he grabbed my hand and led me to the parking garage. He threw my bag into the trunk before turning around and pulling me close to him, pressing his lips against mine. I didn't realize just how much I had missed him until actually seeing him again. I hummed against Jasper's lips, and tried to pry open his mouth with my tongue, but he pulled away, saying, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I just needed a little taste before we got into the car."

We settled in for the drive and Jasper informed me that we were about twenty-five minutes away from his apartment. I had been kept in the dark about our plans for the weekend thus far, but figured it was time for him to fill me in. "So, what's on the agenda for the weekend?"

"Well, now that you're here and I can't scare you aware with the itinerary, I'll let you in on the plan. Tonight, we've got my place to ourselves."

"Oh?" I interrupted. "Where's Jared?"

"He's staying with his boyfriend tonight. Anyway, I hope you're hungry, because I will be preparing a delicious gourmet meal for you this evening."

I turned and looked at Jasper with my eyebrows raised. "Really?" I questioned.

"Oh, yes. While you unpack and get settled in, I'll be working on dinner."

"You better be careful with treating me so well. I might never want to leave."

Jasper gave me a wistful smile. "I can't lie, it would be nice to have you around a little more often."

"I don't know, you'd be surprised at how quickly you could get sick of me," I joked.

Jasper reached over and grabbed my hand from my lap, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. "Somehow, I doubt that."

~O~

Jasper unlocked the door to his apartment, letting me walk in first as he flicked on some lights. The door opened just to the left of the living room and I waited for Jasper to direct me as to where to go next.

"Home sweet home," he said with a smile. "Living room and kitchen to the right." A small dining room sat next to the kitchen and the place was surprisingly clean and stylish for a couple of recent grads. There was a large olive green sofa in the center of the room, flanked by two leather armchairs, with a dark brown wood coffee table between them.

"That's the bathroom," Jasper said, pointing down the hallway, "and my bedroom's the first one here on the right. Try not to get confused and accidentally wander into Jared's room by accident this weekend," he teased, "he'll cuddle with a paper bag if it gets to close. And you, sir, are all mine this weekend." With a kiss on the cheek he continued, "Now, go ahead and get comfy, unpack your stuff. There are some hangers in the closet and the middle left drawer of that chest is open. I'm going to get started on dinner, so come join me in the kitchen when you're done."

With a playful slap on my ass, Jasper left, and I threw my suitcase onto his bed. I had to admit, it felt a little funny, being back in, practically, a college student's room. There were a lot of silly knickknacks and posters haphazardly hung on the walls. I smiled to myself, remembering how similar my own room looked back then.

Thankfully, the bed was quite large. Plenty of room for the nocturnal activities I had planned.

I couldn't help but snoop around at the photos adorning his nightstand. Jasper was smiling beautifully in each one, surrounded by friends that I assumed I would meet this weekend. There was something sad about it, though, not to see any pictures of his family. I shuddered, unable to imagine how it must feel to be abandoned by the people you love.

Once I was finished unpacking, I grabbed my small digital camera and walked into the kitchen to find Jasper hovering over a cutting board. This was the perfect opportunity to catch a candid photo of him. He didn't notice me, thoroughly engrossed in the work, so he jumped when I snapped the picture and then gave me a warning look. I simply shrugged my shoulders and asked, "What'cha making?"

Jasper let it go, cryptically answering, "You'll see." He pointed over to the living room. "Why don't you pour yourself a glass of whiskey at the bar," gesturing at a black piece of furniture in the corner. "You can pour one for me, too." When I walked around the tall black cube, there was a full bar underneath, with glasses hanging from a rack and bottles tucked away.

"This is awesome, Jas!"

"Yeah, IKEAs finest." I quickly spotted an unopened bottle of Johnny Walker and pulled it out.

_Did he buy it just for me?_

My chest warmed as I poured the liquid into our glasses, and then grabbed a couple of ice cubes from the freezer before handing Jasper his drink.

"This all looks and smells amazing, Jas." I snuggled up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and planting a kiss on the back on his neck.

"Hey! No distracting the chef!" He took a quick sip of his drink before gesturing to the counter. "Do me a favor and put that bread on the table, will ya?" I followed his instructions as he placed chicken into the skillet before pouring in some white wine. "Okay, ten minutes and it should be all set." He held up his hand and we clinked glasses. Watching the warm liquid slide down his throat, I leaned forward and touched my lips to his before licking across his lower lip. Tasting remnants of the sharp, smoky liquor against my tongue, I parted my lips, eager for more. Jasper slid his tongue into my mouth with a moan and I pressed my body against his.

"Wait, wait," he groaned, pulling away with a peck, "the food." Acquiescing, I stepped back, taking another sip of my drink. "All right, can you grab the plates from the table and bring them over here?" I followed his instructions, placing the plain white plates on the counter next to him. "Okay, now I need you to open this bottle of wine and put it on the table."

"A pinot, huh? This looks great."

"Yeah. I don't really know much about wine, but the guy at the wine store said it would be good with the meal and I just trusted him. As the expert, you'll have to tell me what you think."

I couldn't believe that he had gone to all of this effort for me. It made me feel so special and cared for, seeing all the effort he had put into his evening with me. I had to admit, it was actually fun, working together in the kitchen. Lord knew I couldn't cook for shit, but at least it looked like Jasper knew what he was doing.

When we sat down just a few minutes later, I was practically speechless by the spread. Jasper had prepared chicken roulade stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, along with mashed potatoes and asparagus. He wiped his brow as he poured the wine into our glasses and took a seat.

"Whew!" he exclaimed, picking up his wineglass and holding it up for a toast. "To the first of many LA trips for you," he said with a wink.

I clinked his glass, and teased, "We'll see if you make it worth my while." He raised his eyebrows at me, not even responding. I took a sip of my wine. "Mmm, very tasty, Jas. Nice job!"

"Yeah? I'm glad you like it," he responded, with a hint of pride in his voice. "I hope you feel the same way about the food." I smiled, cutting off a small piece of the chicken, sure to get some of the tomatoes and cheese on my fork and raised it to my mouth.

"Shit, Jasper, this is delicious!" I exclaimed. The chicken was flavorful and tender, complimented perfectly by the other ingredients. His cheeks flushed a little at the compliment, and I dug into the mashed potatoes, which were rich and buttery and perfect.

"You're so screwed, Jasper. I might never leave, now. I didn't know you could cook!"

"It's something that I've always enjoyed doing." he responded, with a shrug. "I'd help out in the kitchen when I was younger and then in school I just learned on my own."

The rest of our dinner was perfect, and I was still in shock that he had done all of this for me. When we finished the meal, I insisted on cleaning up, but Jasper wouldn't hear of it. Finally, he relented enough that we could share clean up duties. While I washed and he dried, we chatted comfortably and I couldn't help but feel surprised by how easy it was to be with him.

When everything was put away in its proper place, we made our way to the living room. Jasper brought the rest of the wine and I grabbed our glasses as he turned on the stereo. "White Stripes, huh?" I commented.

"I'm a big fan of Jack White, especially the bluesier stuff. Is that cool?"

"Yeah, I like it."

Jasper sat down onto the couch next to me, his hair falling into his face as he sank into the cushions. Almost unconsciously, my hand reached out to brush the curls away from his eyes, tucking the strands behind his ear. I was struck, yet again, by how gorgeous he was. Letting my hand rest on his cheek, I guided his lips toward mine. The kiss began slow and soft, but quickly increased in intensity, a result of not having seen each other in so long.

He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, pushing his fingers into my hair as our tongues twisted. A soft groan came from the back of his throat, spurring me to crawl into his lap, my knees resting just outside of his thighs. Jasper moved his lips to my neck, mouthing at the skin there while he unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it off my shoulders.

I guided him forward so I could strip him of his t-shirt before plunging my hands into his curls. His warm, strong hands splayed across my upper back, pulling me closer to him as I moved my hands to toy with the waist of his jeans, popping open the button and dragging his zipper down. He let out a gasping breath when I palmed him through his underwear. Gently running my fingers up and down his length, I enjoyed the feel of him hardening against my hand. Pushing my hips back, Jasper whispered, "Up," and guided me to stand in front of him, where he laid open mouth kisses across my stomach while undoing my pants and pulling them to the ground, along with my underwear.

Jasper stood up in front of me, pushing the rest of his clothing off while I ran my hands across his soft skin. As soon as he had stepped out of his pants, I lightly pushed on his chest, forcing him to sit back down before I returned to my previous position on his lap.

"Much better," he groaned into my mouth and I hummed in agreement. His fingers began to run up and down my back again, getting closer and closer to my ass on each pass, until Jasper pushed a finger between my cheeks, rubbing lightly at my entrance. Moaning, I reached between us and wrapped my hand around his neglected cock. He threw his head back, drawling out a throaty, "Fuuuuck."

Leaning toward his ear, I teasingly bit the lobe before asking, "Do you have any lube out here?" He gestured to a side table and with a kiss, I reached across the couch and pulled out a condom and small tube, pressing them both into his hand. "Here," I whispered.

He smiled back at me. "Yeah?" he asked. I nodded yes, feeling my skin heat up slightly. Jasper placed the items next to him and pulled my face to his, kissing me with renewed fervor.

Repositioning myself slightly, I guided his hard length down, between my legs so it nestled against my hole. I slowly moved my hips back and forth over the head of his cock, teasing us both with the soft skin as Jasper coated a finger with lube.

"So sexy, Edward. You feel so good," he whispered, nudging his dick out of the way and softly rubbing his finger against my entrance, massaging the muscles until they relaxed against his touch. He pressed past the tight ring of muscle, pumping his finger in and out a few times before adding a second. I moaned, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and tucking my face into his neck as he finished preparing me.

Jasper grabbed the condom packet from the couch, opened it and rolled it down his length, adding more lube when he was done. As I lifted up onto my knees, he grabbed his cock and held it up against my entrance. I sank down slowly, inch by inch allowing him to fill me. Taking a moment to adjust, I licked across his lower lip and gently caressed the velvety warmth of his tongue with my own.

Exhaling deeply, I ground my hips down against Jasper's lap. He threw his head back, muttering, "Fuck," with a low groan, dragging his fingers up and down my sides. I gripped the back of the couch over Jasper's shoulders for leverage and began rocking my hips steadily, back and forth.

The languid pace didn't last long as Jasper spread my cheeks wide with his hands and began to thrusting into me. My head fell forward onto his shoulder, where his skin was becoming sticky with sweat. His warm breath fanned across my ear, "Edward— Edward— oh fuck."

Suddenly Jasper stood up, bringing me with him, and I wrapped my legs around his waist so I wouldn't fall. He spun us around, gently laying me back onto the couch. "Turn around," he whispered.

Jasper moved behind me as I knelt forward on the couch, arching my back to him. He pressed back inside of me, slowly and deeply, before quickening his pace. I pushed my hips back to meet his thrusts, but he began to move more powerfully, the force pushing me into the cushions. Jasper reached forward and wound his arm around my waist, lifting me so my back pressed firmly against his chest. I turned my face toward him and he lightly pressed his hand against my jaw, guiding my mouth to his.

I couldn't control the whimpers falling from my lips and reached down to grasp my cock, pumping it in time with Jasper's motions. My entire body shuddered, warm and sticky where Jasper was pressed against me, cool across my chest and stomach. The familiar tingling that usually preceded my orgasm began to build, and Jasper moaned loudly behind me, his thrusts turning erratic as we both reached our climax. I cried out as the tight coil of tension in my stomach unraveled explosively, simultaneously hearing Jasper call out my name, feeling his cock pulse inside of me.

We stayed pressed tightly together as Jasper leaned us forward onto the couch. As our breath slowed, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the mess on the couch. "What?" Jasper asked, nibbling on the back of my neck. "I'm not sure this is an entirely appropriate time to start laughing, Edward. I might get my feelings hurt."

"I'm afraid we made a bit of a mess on your couch, Jasper." He leaned over my shoulder to see what I meant, and laughed when he saw that my cum had sprayed all over the cushion in front of me. I looked back at him, a little sheepishly. "Oops."

He nuzzled against my neck. "Well it's a good thing they're leather, baby. I'll grab some stuff to clean up." He stood up and I collapsed onto my back, head propped up on the armrest. Coming back with our underwear and a washcloth, Jasper cleaned up the mess while I shimmied my boxer briefs back on. He tossed the washcloth onto the floor and lied on the couch facing me.

Winding his arms around my waist, Jasper kissed my lips, telling me, "I'm so glad you're here."

Sighing contentedly, I smiled back at him and whispered, "Me too, Jasper," before snuggling closer into him.

I couldn't wait to find out what else he had in store for us.

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><p><strong>There's much more excitement to come during the rest of the trip! Reviews are amazing like Jasper's cooking, so drop me a line and let me know what you think!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Happy Halloween everyone! **

**Please enjoy the next chapter - the boys are ready to have some fun in Jasper's town!**

**I owe my lovely beta, cocoalvin, a huge thank you - I always appreciate your help, bb! **Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.**  
><strong>

**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I don't own these boys, but I sure wish I could sneak a camera in their bedroom. Maybe just once?  
><strong>

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><p><em>Winding his arms around my waist, Jasper kissed my lips, telling me, "I'm so glad you're here."<em>

_Sighing contentedly, I smiled back at him and whispered, "Me too, Jasper," before snuggling closer into him._

_I couldn't wait to find out what else he had in store for us._

**~O~_  
><em>**

The next morning, I woke up to Jasper's arm thrown across my chest and his nose nuzzled into my neck. Turning my head to the side, I placed a light kiss on top of his messy curls before trying to unravel our tangled limbs. As much as I didn't want to leave the warm comfort of his bed, there was an important issue to address with my bladder. Jasper groaned, squeezing his arm around me tightly, trying to hold me in place. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, sleepily.

"Bathroom, babe," I responded. "I'll be right back." Grunting in protest, he pulled his arm back, releasing me from his grasp. I stood up with a long stretch, my body deliciously sore from last night's activities, before padding to the bathroom to relieve myself. After washing my hands, I quickly brushed my teeth as well, and then hurried back to Jasper's bed, jumping under the covers.

"What time is it?" he asked, half yawning the question.

I tucked myself into his side and answered, "Around eight. What's the plan for today?"

Jasper furrowed his brow. "Wait a second. Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yeah, why?" I responded, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Mmm-mmm," he protested, lips pressed tightly together as he turned his head away. "No way. Not until I brush mine, too."

I laughed as he shuffled out from under the covers, still naked, and made his way into the bathroom. When he returned a few minutes later, I let out a low whistle. "Nice view," I commented.

"Oh, I'll show you a nice view," he said, climbing on top of me and grinding his hips into mine. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling his upper body flush against mine.

"How about a good morning kiss, first?" I asked.

"When you ask so nicely, how could I refuse?" he responded, softly pressing his lips to my own. Enjoying the pleasant feel of his weight on me, I scratched my fingers up and down his back, and felt a shiver run down his spine. Parting my lips with his, Jasper snaked his tongue into my mouth, languidly caressing mine, and I began to grow hard at his soft seduction.

Breaking our kiss, I panted, "How much time do we have?"

"Plenty," he said, starting to kiss his way down my chest. I sucked my bottom lip into my mouth to hold in the moan already growing in my throat and closed my eyes, focusing on the attention from his mouth. It felt so fucking good to be with him again in the flesh, and there was just something about the morning that made my entire body feel more sensitive.

Jasper shifted his weight to the side, landing beside me on his hip as he continued plying my skin with kisses and licks. I felt, rather than saw, him smile against my skin as his strong hand trailed down the side of my body to splay across my stomach.

His tongue peeked out of his mouth and he slowly dragged it down my stomach until reaching the base of my cock. Gently guiding my legs apart, he rearranged himself in between, flicking his tongue down farther, to the sensitive skin of my perineum, causing a moan to escape my lips. Finally, he wrapped his lips around the head of my dick, first swirling his tongue around the tip, and then bobbing up and down my shaft. Alternating between the two movements, he let the pleasure slowly build in my body before taking me deeper into his mouth and sucking harder.

Pulling back, he took a moment to run his lips and tongue along the sides of my length before wrapping his hand around me and slowly stroking. Taking the head back between his lips, he began rubbing the tip against the ridged roof of his mouth. My muscles tightened instinctively, and I couldn't help but cry out, burying my hands in his hair when he started flicking his tongue against my frenulum at the same time.

"Oh, God, you're gonna make me come, Jasper!"

He started softly petting the skin of my perineum with two fingers and I could feel my orgasm building inside of me, the sweet coil of tension ready to burst. Jasper forcefully pushed those two fingers harder into my skin, sending a spark of pleasure deep inside of my body, and I couldn't hold it off any longer. Letting out a loud, "Fuck!" I came hard, pulsing into Jasper's warm mouth as my body twitched and shuddered in relief.

He continued licking my oversensitive cock until I pulled on his arm, wordlessly asking him to stop. "Fuck," I groaned, my voice hoarse. Jasper snuggled into my side and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips.

"How was that?" he asked, with a hint of a smile on his lips.

"So good," I responded against his lips, running my fingers up and down his back. Deepening the kiss, I pulled him even closer. Jasper threw his leg over mine and I felt him unconsciously start rutting against my thigh. Murmuring, "Your turn," into his mouth, I guided him on top of me. I whispered for him to sit up and then pulled on his thighs to encourage him to move up my body, straddling my face.

Jasper grasped at the headboard and I started low, licking and sucking his balls. After giving them some attention, I shuffled higher onto the pillow and began running my lips along his shaft. Finally, I took the head into my mouth, swirling my tongue around it.

Looking up the hard planes of his body, I found Jasper's eyes watching me intensely and decided to give him a little show. I moaned, closing my eyes, and started twisting my head back and forth, dragging the flat of my tongue over his frenulum with my motion.

"Fuck yeah, baby," he groaned. "That feels good."

Reaching my arms between his thighs, I grabbed his ass cheeks, squeezing while I pulled him toward me, encouraging him to start thrusting. I began to run my hands all over his soft, smooth skin as he gently fucked my mouth. When I reached his nipples, I gave them a light pinch, eliciting a loud moan from Jasper's lips. His hips sped up, and I tried to keep up with his movements, flicking my tongue along the underside of his length and sucking in my cheeks to create more pressure for him. The sight of his body towering over me, curls falling in his face, and mouth dropping open was a beautiful distraction and I was mesmerized as he threw his head back in pleasure. With a loud cry, Jasper swelled and exploded into my mouth, and I greedily drank down his hot cum.

Crawling off me, Jasper snuggled into my side fully sated as we leisurely kissed for the next half hour before finally dragging ourselves into the shower. Having taken our time getting out of bed, we had to be quick, but I still enjoyed the feel of his wet body pressed against mine.

As we got dressed, Jasper told me that we would be meeting his friend Emmett for brunch, along with Emmett's girlfriend, Rosalie. "I promise, Emmett's just a big 'ole teddy bear," he explained when I asked him to describe them. "Rosie on the other hand... well I'd say she's more of an angry black mama bear." I raised my eyebrows at him and he laughed. "Don't worry, they're both gonna love you."

~O~

It took us about half an hour to reach the restaurant in Santa Monica. Even though it was a bit on the chilly side, the sun was still shining and it was a beautiful winter day. Jasper and I had arrived before his friends, so we took a seat and ordered mimosas to start the afternoon off right. As soon as the waiter dropped them off at the table, Jasper leaned over and said, "There they are," waiving his hand in the air.

They were certainly a good-looking couple. The guy was big, like football player big, with closely cropped dark hair and a warm smile. The girl was simply stunning, with long blonde locks and creamy white skin. As they made their way over to the table, I stood up for the introductions. "Emmett, Rosalie, I'd like you guys to meet Edward. Edward, these are my close friends, Emmett and Rose."

Emmett stuck his hand out first, saying, "So you're the Edward we've heard so much about," as we shook, waggling his brows.

Jasper let out a sigh. "I know this is going to be difficult for you, Em, but please try not to embarrass me."

Emmett opened his eyes wide, with a look of mock hurt, and replied, "I can't believe you would say that to me, Jas. I thought we were friends."

Rose quickly jumped in, "Oh, please, Emmett, no one believes that wounded victim act of yours. And sorry Jasper, but that's what you get for inviting us to hang out." Then she turned her attention to me. "Contrary to what Jasper would have you believe, we actually have heard a lot about you—"

"I can't believe you're both selling me out like this!"

Ignoring him, she continued, "So I'm looking forward to getting to know you today.

"Me too," I responded, "It's so nice to finally meet some of Jasper's friends."

The waiter came over and took their drink orders while we perused the menu. When he returned with two more mimosas, I heard Emmett mutter, "Shit," under his breath.

"Oh my God, Em, really? You've been here a million times." Jasper stated. I looked at him, confused.

"Yes, really," Emmett responded, with a huff.

"He does this all the time, Edward," Jasper explained. "First, Emmett is going to request to order last, so he can judge what each of us orders and whether it sounds better than what he's thinking about getting. Then, he's going to ask the waiter his opinion on five different potential meals. Finally, he's just going to get the same thing he always gets, because ultimately, he's a creature of habit."

"Wow," I said, chuckling, "I never would have pegged you as the Sally of your relationship."

With a smile, Emmett started to open his mouth, but was quickly shut down by Rosalie. "Don't even think about it, buddy."

"But, Rosie—"

"No way."

Again, I looked at Jasper to explain. "Let's just say, it wouldn't be the first time he's re-created the orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally."

I shook my head in horror. "Oh, God, no."

"Yup."

"What, dude? Rose can tell you, my o-face is epic. Right, babe?"

Rose put her hand up in protest. "First of all, not really. Second, I haven't even had a mimosa yet and am nowhere near intoxicated enough to handle that. Third, I'm pretty sure you have just traumatized Edward, here." She turned toward me. "Sorry." A small smile cracked her face and I could sense she appreciated that I could handle her boyfriend's boisterous personality.

The waiter placed their drinks on the table and the ordering sequence happened exactly as Jasper had said, with Rose rolling her eyes and Jasper snickering when Emmett asked the waiter to rate the spiciness of the sausage breakfast sandwich on a scale from Jennifer Aniston to Jennifer Lopez. Emmett quickly shut his mouth when the waiter responded, "I'd say it's more Ricky Martin." I couldn't help but smile the whole time.

Once the waiter left, Jasper stated for everyone to behave before sneaking off to the restroom. I had a feeling that would be unlikely as Emmett leaned back into his chair while Jasper walked away, folding his arms behind his head. "So, Eddie… I can call you Eddie, right?"

"Actually, I prefer Edward."

"Fine," he responded, with a slight pout on his face. "What exactly are your intentions with our little Jazzy?"

"Wow, you don't beat around the bush, do you?"

"Nope, I prefer to beat right in the bush. Get it?" Emmett cracked up at his joke. "Ya get it?"

"You're such a fucking child, Emmett," Rosalie intervened, somehow managing to give him a look that was both icy and fond at the same time. Then she turned toward me. "What Emmett's trying to say is that Jasper is very important to both of us. He's a sweet kid, and has dealt with more shit than anyone his age should have to." Her protective nature was clearly coming out and the fact that she cared about him so much made me like her even more. "He likes you and it looks like you like him, too." I nodded. "But the bottom line is, if you hurt him, I'll rip your balls off. Got it?"

Automatically, I crossed my legs under the table. "Uh, yeah, sure."

Just then Jasper showed back up at the table. "Did I miss anything?" he asked.

"Nope, Rosie was just threatening Edward with castration. You know, the usual."

"Rose!" he chastised. She just shrugged her shoulders.

As soon as he sat down, I had to ask about Emmett's nickname for him. "So, Jazzy?" I questioned.

"Emmett," Jasper groaned, taking a large sip of his drink.

"Oh, this is a good one," he started. "Jasper and I first met in college. We had both signed up for intramural basketball and happened to be on the same team. Now, I don't know if you have ever played sports with Jasper..."

I shook my head no.

"Let's just say he gets a little enthusiastic."

"That sounds like something I need to see," I responded, laughing.

Jasper smiled. "Naw, I've mellowed out a little in my old age. This was back when we were freshmen."

"Pfft! Whatever, Jasper. Just a word of warning, Edward, he totally cheats, so you have to watch him like a hawk.

"Oh, my God! That was one time, and we were playing a drinking game!" He looked at me, eyes open wide and innocent. "I do not cheat."

"Anyway," Emmett interrupted, "we were about half way through the season, and had been doing pretty well, if I do say so myself."

"Hell, yeah!" Jasper yelled, holding his hand up for a high five from Emmett, who slapped it from across the table.

"Toward the end of this one game, Jasper was charged with a personal foul for blocking—"

"Completely undeserved."

"That's still up for debate. So Jasper gets all up in the ref's face, yelling about how he needs to get his eyes checked because he's clearly seeing things if he thought Jasper was blocking."

Jasper looked pointedly at me. "It totally was not blocking."

"The ref threatened to kick Jasper out of the game if he didn't back off and Jasper..." Emmett couldn't hold in his laughter and struggled to get the last of the story out. "Jasper started waiving his hands in the air, shaking them back and forth while he danced around in a circle singing about how scared he was—"

"I may have been a little caught up in the moment—"

"When the guy he was _supposedly _blocking said, 'What the fuck is that? Maybe you need to join the intramural dance team with those moves, Jazz Hands.'" Emmett howled his laughter. "I'd never seen Jasper so pissed, but I couldn't help busting up laughing. After a second, everyone else joined in, including 'ole Jazz Hands here. Some form of that has been his nickname ever since. Other than Jazz Hands there's Jazzy, Jazzercise, DJ Jazzy Jazz— "

"Ha fuckin' ha. Don't get any ideas, Edward."

I couldn't help but join in on the fun. "Aw, poor baby. Don't worry, I've liked all your moves so far. Even the dorky ones."

"Thank you! I mean, wait, what?"

~O~

Once we finished with lunch and said goodbye to Emmett and Rose, Jasper and I spent the rest of the afternoon on Third Street Promenade, a pedestrian only street in Santa Monica. We held hands as we walked up and down the street, stopping to watch the street performers occasionally, and popping in and out of stores.

Somehow he managed to talk me into buying a vest, much like the one I had admired on him in Vegas. I felt a little silly, but Jasper assured me that it was cool. Luckily, I made it out of the store without the felt fedora he was pushing. I could only try to pull off so much hipster at once.

"You might be right about the hat," he reflected as we walked back to the car.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Well, it would be a shame to cover up your hair." He leaned in closely, whispering in my ear, "Especially once I get my hands in it, so everyone at the club will know how well you got fucked before we showed up."

My face heated up and I quickly looked around to make sure no one else heard him. "Jasper!"

"Hm, you're right. Maybe you should fuck me tonight before we go instead."

I stopped walking and pulled him into me. "You are incorrigible," I groaned, pressing my face into his neck.

"That may be, but you love it," he responded, guiding his lips to mine. "Now let's hurry up and get home."

With a shiver running up my spine, I hummed in agreement.

When we got back to his place, our plans were delayed as I was finally introduced to his roommate, Jared. He was nice, and cute too, but had nothing on Jasper. We only spoke for a moment before Jasper was dragging me into his room, stating that we were going to nap before getting ready.

I could tell that Jared was not exactly convinced when he called after us to please keep the music up, although we did finally get to our nap about an hour later.

Once we woke, Jasper and I showered again and got dressed. Jasper looked unbelievably sexy, wearing a pair of low-slung jeans, tucked into black combat boots. His hair was still damp and eyes shone bright blue as he stepped up behind me while I tried to tame my mop of hair.

"The guys will be here in about half an hour. Can I get you a drink while you perfect each strategically placed messy peak of hair on your head?" he teased.

"Hey! Just for that, I'll take a whiskey on the rocks. And don't think I didn't see you sneaking mousse into those curls. Natural, my ass."

He turned me to face him, wrapping his arms around my neck and placing a kiss against my lips before whispering into my ear. "Now you know all my secrets. I don't know if I can let you leave here alive."

"I promise, I won't say a word, although I can think of worse ways to be imprisoned. You'd still feed me and fuck me, right?"

Jasper smacked my ass in response, and growled in my ear, "God damn right I would."

~O~

I had been a little nervous to meet Jasper's friends, as I assumed they'd all be much younger than me, but they turned out to be a great group of guys. Marcus, Jared's boyfriend, was actually a little older as well and worked as a medical devices rep. We found ourselves caught up in discussing a new stint technology his company had developed, until Jared threw himself across Marcus's lap dramatically.

"Please," he pleaded, "no more talk about work."

"Whoops, sorry to talk your ear off, Edward," he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, no," I responded, "I was the one asking all the questions. I didn't mean to keep you from Jared."

Jared smiled at his boyfriend, looking for attention.

"Who?" Marcus asked, pretending to look around the room.

"Hey!" yelled Jared, mock offended. "You'd better watch it, buddy, or you'll be sucking your own dick tonight!"

Marcus looked up at me and shrugged. "I'm flexible," he gave as an explanation.

At that moment, Jasper walked up behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Y'all doin' okay over here?" he asked.

I cleared my throat. "Yes," I answered, turning my face up toward Jasper. "I was just learning about how flexible Marcus is."

Jasper quirked his eyebrow in question as Marcus explained. "Yeah, it's all that yoga J makes me do. Isn't that right?"

"Sure is, baby." Jared had started to climb into Marcus's lap when Jasper interrupted.

"Hold on there, buddy! We'll never get out of here if you keep that shit up. Everyone, finish up your drinks and let's go!" He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I can't wait to get you out on the dance floor."

As we all headed out the door for the short walk up to West Hollywood, another one of the guys, Stefan, asked, "Hey, Jasper? Where's Riley?"

"He's going to meet us there. You know him, always has to be fashionably late."

Jasper closed the door behind him and I asked, "Riley?"

He looked a little uncomfortable as he answered. "Yeah, he's a, uh, friend from the biz."

_Oh_.

I'm sure that Jasper immediately understood where my mind went and quickly continued, "We've never worked together, or hooked up. I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable?"

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I'd meet any of Jasper's co-workers, and naturally I was curious about them. "No, it's fine Jasper."

Jasper visibly relaxed, taking my hand in his and guiding me forward. "Come on, Edward," he said with a smile, "Trunks waits for no man!"

~O~

"I can't believe this place is really called Trunks."

"Believe it, Edward." Jasper let his voice drop low, as if we were sharing a secret. "You're lucky I was able to talk the guys out of going to Rage." He pointed to the club next door, where there were go-go dancers on top of tables in the outside patio. The poor guys must have been freezing their tight little butts off. He clarified, "Total meat market. And I don't want anyone else thinking they can put their hands on your meat," punctuating his statement with a slap on my ass cheek.

Once inside, we were lucky enough to snag a table and ordered a round of shots to go along with some drinks. I had barely gotten through my beer before Jasper grabbed my hand and started pulling me onto the dance floor. Finding a spot on the edge, Jasper placed his hands on my hips and began swaying back and forth. Stepping closer, I wrapped my arms around his neck, slotting my thigh between his legs.

"Oh, it's going to be that kind of party?" he asked, grabbing my ass and pulling me into him hard, grinding his cock into my hip.

"I hope so," I whispered back into his ear, "I've certainly enjoyed your trunk so far."

With a smile, he snaked his arms around my waist, pushing his fingers under the hem of my shirt and running his fingers up and down my back. I pushed my fingers into the soft curls at the nape of nape of his neck, scratching lightly as we moved.

Eventually, our shirts came off and were stuffed into our back pockets. Jasper spun around in front of me and leaned back, his sticky skin pressing against my chest, damp hair tickling my shoulder as he lolled his head back. I couldn't help but start kissing and licking at his neck as my hands explored his chest and abs.

Our bodies fit together perfectly, his delectable ass teasing me as it continuously brushed over my erection. I moved my hands farther down his body, to his thighs, pressing my thumbs in to barely graze his own hardness. Jasper brought his arm over his head to drape around my neck, stretching his torso long as he groaned into my ear.

"You're playing with fire, Mr. Cullen."

"Am I?" I responded. I tried to keep my voice in control, but I was sure it betrayed how turned on I was. It felt like we were in our own private little bubble, even though the dance floor was starting to get packed.

"Mmm hmm. If you're not careful, I'm gonna have to drag you into the corner and start doing some really inappropriate things to you."

"Is that a promise?" I asked, punctuating the statement by pressing my hard cock against the crack of jeans covered ass. "Because whatever you're thinking is probably more appropriate than me fucking your sweet ass right here on the dance floor." I continued thrusting against him as I spoke, blatantly reaching down and grabbing his cock. His body shuddered against me. "Is this what you want, Jasper," I asked, rubbing my palm against his length.

I must've been a little more buzzed than I thought, because normally I wasn't much of an exhibitionist.

"Yes," he panted. "God, Edward—"

A loud whistle interrupted us, followed by choruses of catcalling. Jasper turned around in my arms and tucked his face into my neck. "Maybe we should take a little break," he suggested.

"Maybe we should," I agreed. "I could use a drink to cool off a little. You almost made me come on the dance floor, sexy boy."

Walking in front of me, Jasper wiggled his hips a little. "I told you I had moves!"

"Yeah, well I want to see those moves again later, in the privacy of your bedroom."

Jasper stopped and pulled me into a kiss before responding, "You got it, babe. Just try to behave for a few more hours." I groaned as Jasper led the way back to his friends.

When we returned to the table, another guy was sitting with them that hadn't been there when we left. Obviously a twink, he was thin, with light brown hair falling across his forehead, framing large brown eyes. As he caught sight of me walking up to the table with Jasper, his full lips turned down into a slight pout.

This had to be Riley.

Jasper greeted him first. "Hey, Ri! How's it going? I'd like you to meet Edward."

From the way he looked at me, with a hint of disdain in his eyes, I could immediately tell that he had a thing for Jasper. "Oh," he started, sounding bored, "so you're the boyfriend we've heard so much about."

I felt Jasper stiffen beside me at his choice of words, but quickly responded. Riley needed to know that Jasper was mine and that he should back off. "Yeah. Nice to meet you," I said, holding out my right hand to shake his while wrapping my left around Jasper's shoulders. Turning back to Jasper, I asked him if he wanted something from the bar.

"A beer would be great," he said, before placing a light kiss on my lips. Taking advantage of his closed eyes, I pressed forward, deepening the kiss for just a moment before pulling back, leaving Jasper panting for breath. Turning back to the table, I saw that Riley had narrowed his eyes slightly at my display of possessiveness.

"Anyone else need anything?"

Of course, Riley piped up. "A cosmo would be great," he said, his smirk firmly back in place as he pulled Jasper into the booth, practically into his lap.

I didn't trust him for a second.

The rest of the night turned into the Riley show, with him as the center of attention, groping every available body part within a five-foot radius. Luckily, Jasper was ready to get back on the dance floor when we finished our beers, and I had him all to myself again.

It wasn't much longer before our sexual tension had tipped the scales again, but this time, instead of taking some time to cool off, I pulled Jasper into me, squeezing his ass hard. "I want you so fucking bad right now," I whispered into his ear.

"Yes," he moaned, "take me home and fuck me." I grabbed his hand and pulled him off the dance floor. We stopped by the table quickly and grabbed our clothes, discarded there earlier, before quickly making an exit. Luckily, Riley was nowhere to be found because I was sure he would have tried to interrupt and keep us there.

The short walk back to Jasper's apartment took twice as long as it should have, since we stopped to make out on nearly every corner. Finally, we reached his place, pulling off our clothes as we stumbled into his bedroom.

This time I needed to claim him. The jealousy that I felt in the club had spread through my veins, igniting a fire under my skin. "Get on the bed," I instructed, my voice low and almost dangerous sounding. "On your stomach." I straddled his legs, slowly dipping my fingers between his ass cheeks, pressing against his hot hole. "Lube?" I asked.

He pointed to the nightstand. "Top drawer," he said, "condoms, too." I briefly stopped to pull out the supplies, and then went back to my teasing for a few minutes before finally spreading some lube on my fingers and breaching his tight muscle, first with one, then two fingers. "Yesss," he groaned, shifting his hips up to try and get my fingers in deeper.

"Fuck, you look so hot, lying there, desperate for my cock." I pushed my hard length along his ass and began thrusting slowly, letting the tip of my cock brush along his hole. "You want it?" I asked him." You want my cock?"

He turned his face to the side and shifted his hips into the air. "Yeah, baby, I want it so bad."

I sheathed myself with the condom and slowly pressed all the way into his tight heat. With a deep breath, I laid my chest flush to his back, our bodies pressing together from cheek to shoulder to hip to thigh. As soon as I felt him press his hips back into me, letting me know he was ready, I reached under his armpits, grasping his shoulders for leverage and began to thrust slowly, but deeply. Jasper lifted his head, seeking out my lips with his own, and our tongues tangled passionately.

There was something unbelievably intimate about feeling so much of Jasper's skin against mine while we fucked. He reached his hands up and place them over mine, intertwining our fingers on his shoulders. Breaking our kiss, he let his head fall back onto the bed. "So good, baby," he said.

After our night filled with so much teasing, I knew that I wasn't going to last long. I could already feel the tingling of my orgasm beginning low in my belly. Spreading my knees so they fell outside of his thighs, I was able to get more leverage on him and started thrusting harder and faster, tucking my cheek against the nape of his neck.

Jasper was still lying flat on the bed, but had begun angling his ass up to meet each of my thrusts. His breath was coming in choked off pants, and I hoped that he was close, too.

The warm tingling began to work its way up my cock and my whole body tensed. I reached for Jasper's hips to pull him up and give me room to stroke him, but he slapped my hand away. "Just fuck me, baby, I'm so close."

"Oh, God," I panted, thrusting into him harder and faster.

"Just like that, just like that, just like…" he repeated, squeezing my hands hard as I felt his tunnel squeeze my cock impossibly tighter.

"Oh fuck, Jasper!" I cried out as my body exploded, my muscles tight as I twitched erratically. He continued squirming underneath me, drawing my orgasm out even longer.

Still pressed against Jasper's body, I began to ply his neck with kisses. Underneath me, he groaned as I slipped out of his body and rolled off to the side. "Wow," he giggled, as I brushed his hair from his face.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I've never come hands free before like that."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

"Hmm, I think I should be thanking you." Jasper moved onto his side and I saw the cum stain on his bedspread. "Fuck, that's so hot Jasper."

He stretched his arms above his head with a yawn. "What do you say we hop in the shower before falling asleep?"

"Sounds good."

Later, when we were snuggled under the covers, and the comfortable, sated feeling filling my chest had yet to abate, Jasper leaned over and said, in a quiet voice, "Hey, I hope that you didn't think Riley was too annoying. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's over the top, but it's usually not quite that bad."

"Don't worry about it, Jasper. I had a great time tonight. I really liked your friends, although I liked coming home with you even more."

I placed a kiss on the top of his head, and Jasper turned his face to look at me. "I hope that what Riley said didn't bother you. I'm sorry if it did."

I knew exactly what he was referring to, and turning to look into his beautiful eyes replied, "I'm not sorry."

The corners of his lips quirked up into a smile. "What do you mean?"

My chest filled with warmth, but I took a deep breath before continuing, "Jasper, I'm not dating anyone else—"

"Neither am I," he whispered, hurriedly.

I smiled. "Okay, good. So what do you say?" I asked. "Boyfriends?"

Jasper pulled my face to his with a moan, claiming my lips. "Yes, absolutely," he responded, between kisses. "Boyfriends," he said, his face lighting up with a smile, before rolling on top of me and deepening our kiss.

~O~

I felt as if I could stay in our bubble forever, but the next day passed quickly. We had elected to keep to ourselves, reveling in our newly established relationship status and only left Jasper's place to eat. The following day, we stayed in bed as long as possible before I had to start packing up my stuff. Keeping our hands clasped together the entire way to the airport, we chatted away, but our happiness was tinged with the heavy feeling of our impending separation.

As I grabbed my bag from the backseat, Jasper hopped out and rounded the trunk to me. Pulling me into a tight hug, he whispered, "Have a good flight, okay?" I nodded in response. He pressed his lips against mine softly, but I couldn't help deepening the kiss, not caring who might be watching, or what they thought. This was the last time I would feel him for a few weeks, at least. As we were kissing, I felt him push his fingers into my back jeans pocket, leaving something behind. Breaking the kiss, I quirked my eyebrows in a silent question. "No looking until you get to the bar," he said

"Okay, but if I get arrested by airport police, I'm calling you to bail me out." We both laughed and he promised me I'd be safe. I pulled him into one last hug, inhaling a deep breath of his scent to keep with me.

I kept my word, somehow managing to wait until I sat at the bar to reach into my back pocket, pulling out what looked like a note and a ten-dollar bill.

_So I can buy you your last drink in LA. I miss you already, babe._

_XOXO_

_J_

My chest flooded with warmth at his gesture. Quickly, I ordered a whiskey from the bartender and snapped a picture of me taking a sip with my cell, sending it to Jasper with a message.

_I miss you too, boyfriend, and thanks for the drink! Guess I'll have to make do with Johnnie until I see you again :(_

_Will call when I get in._

_XOXO_

_E_

As I stepped onto the plane, my phone buzzed in response and I quickly checked the message before I could be chastised by the flight attendants.

_You tell that Johnnie to keep his hands off my boyfriend or there'll be trouble_

Laughing, I turned off my phone and settled into my seat with a sigh. After spending so much time with Jasper, it was going to be a lonely night at home by myself.

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><p><strong>I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter - are you happy with the change in their relationship status? Drop me a review and let me know!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter posted - I had to drag it out my head kicking and screaming, but finally, here it is!**

**As usual, I owe my lovely beta, cocoalvin, a huge thank you - her super speedy turn around is getting this to you guys before I have to leave town for the holidays tomorrow! Any typos or grammar errors from the final edit are mine alone.  
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**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
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**Disclaimer: I own nothing except a bit of a grudge that I didn't win my ugly sweater contest this year. You can check out a pic of it on twitter and be the judge. The winner wore a sweater with a reindeer daisy chain on it. Yeah, my friends are sickos.  
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><p><em>As I stepped onto the plane, my phone buzzed in response and I quickly checked the message before I could be chastised by the flight attendants.<em>

**_You tell that Johnnie to keep his hands off my boyfriend or there'll be trouble_**

_Laughing, I turned off my phone and settled into my seat with a sigh. After spending so much time with Jasper, it was going to be a lonely night at home by myself._

~O~

Over the next couple of months, I became increasingly familiar with both the San Francisco and the Los Angeles airports. Jasper and I took turns flying to see each other every week or two, and things were going really well. I was having a blast acting like a tourist in Los Angeles, while also re-discovering my own city. Although I had lived in San Francisco for years, I had never eaten chocolate at Ghirardelli Square, hiked the Golden Gate Bridge or even visited Alcatraz, and I loved that Jasper and I got to do these things together.

Normally, I was reserved and practical, but Jasper made me feel fun and spontaneous. For example, during his last visit, Jasper had decided to drive rather than fly to San Francisco. That Sunday, while preparing to leave, he asked me to make the drive with him, saying he would fly me home when we reached LA.

At first, I told him he was crazy, but the more I thought about the idea, the less wild it seemed. If we started driving at noon, we would arrive in Los Angeles around six at night. Then, I could take the eight o'clock flight back up north, and be in bed by eleven o'clock

Jasper was shocked when I said I would do it.

We had an absolute blast, telling stories, fighting over control of the playlist, and singing at the top of our lungs. Of course, no road trip would have been complete without a little road head, of which we both partook; Jasper just outside of Monterey, after which we switched driving duties, and then me outside of Santa Barbara.

It was well worth the turbulence I endured on the flight back.

I loved all of the time we spent together and hated leaving Jasper more and more each time we separated. My chest ached every time I had to waive goodbye at the airport and the same ache disappeared when I finally got to feel his skin under my fingers again after an absence. It had been a long time since I had felt this way about anyone, but I knew what it meant.

I was pretty sure that I was falling in love.

My feelings had been growing steadily with each trip, but I wasn't sure what we could do in our situation. The relationship was too new for one of us to consider moving closer to the other, but I couldn't help but think about how great it would be if Jasper were with me all the time.

I fantasized about meeting up for happy hour after work, or watching our favorite T.V. shows while snuggling on the couch after making dinner together. Apparently, in my active imagination, I was just a good a cook as Jasper.

Of course, I was sure we'd also have plenty of fun out at the bars and clubs, although I'd have to beat the admirers away from him with a stick. Sometimes I thought he was too good-looking for his own good, or maybe too good-looking for my peace of mind.

Shaking my head, I chastised myself for thinking that way. There was one thing I was completely sure of, and that was my trust in Jasper.

Interrupting my musings, my phone rang and I quickly answered it. "Hey, I was just thinking about you, baby."

"Yeah?" Jasper responded, in his honey-tinged drawl. "What were you thinking about?"

I was thankful that he couldn't see my face turn red with the realization of my feelings toward him. "Just that I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"Me too, sweetheart," he said. "I'm in need of a Cullen cuddle."

"Is everything okay?" I asked. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but his voice sounded a little off.

"Oh, yeah, I just miss you." Although I didn't entirely believe him, I let it go, convinced that I'd get a better read on him tomorrow.

"So, six o'clock, at your apartment?" he asked.

"I'll see you then," I responded.

"Sounds like a plan. I wish I could talk longer, baby, but I'm exhausted. Call me in the morning?"

"Of course. You'd better rest up. You're going to need you're strength tomorrow."

"Is that a promise?" he teased.

"You bet your ass it is. Goodnight, Jasper."

I hung up the phone, very much looking forward to having Jasper back in my arms the next day.

~O~

Normally, Jasper would be meeting me at my place or at the office since his schedule was so much more flexible than mine, but for this weekend, I'd asked to leave work a little early so I could surprise him at the airport. I'd spoken with Jasper just before he boarded the plane, and could tell that he had no idea that I would be there. Feeling quite proud of my sneakiness, I stood in the waiting area, considering our plans for the weekend.

We were having dinner that night, and then going out with the guys to a club on Saturday, but that wasn't exactly what I thought about.

I was going to tell Jasper that I loved him.

Even thinking about it made my heart start fluttering in my chest and I prayed that he felt the same way about me. Rehearsing a few different scenarios in my head, I debated my options for what seemed like the millionth time.

I could jump into his arms and tell him right away, but that might be a bit theatrical for us.

I could tell him as I dropped him off at the airport on Sunday, as romantic parting words. That way, if he didn't say it back, I wouldn't have spoiled our weekend together.

_Man up, Cullen._

Or I could tell him tonight, when we got back from dinner and we could make love all night long.

_That seems like the most reasonable option._

My mind made up, I shifted my attention to the people passing through the exit. Jasper appeared, looking gorgeous as usual, and the longing ache in my chest immediately disappeared, reinforcing my decision.

Since he wasn't expecting so see me there, Jasper walked right past me, his attention focused entirely on the exit to the BART station.

I quickly caught up behind him and tried to catch his attention by clearing my throat loudly a few times, but still got no response. Finally, exasperated, I yelled out, "Jasper Whitlock!"

He stumbled in surprise, dropping a cup of what appeared to be coffee on the floor in front of him, before turning around, looking bewildered.

"Oh, my God! I'm so sorry, baby!" I said, running up to him.

"Careful," he said, his lips curving up into a smile as he wrapped his arm around my waist. "Don't slip on the wet floor."

"Shit," I chastised myself. "I can't believe that I totally fucked this up!"

"Hey," Jasper replied, shuffling us away from the mess. "This is great," he said, before capturing my lips in a chaste kiss. "I'm so happy to see you."

"I have to admit, I had no idea that my powers of stealth were so strong." I chuckled, burying my head into his shoulder. Looking back up, I softly whispered, "Surprise?"

He started laughing, a deep, rich sound resonating from his chest. "Yeah, you surprised the coffee right out of my hand!" I blushed, lowering my gaze again. Guiding my face back up with a finger to my chin, Jasper gave me one of his dazzling smiles before pecking my lips again. "What do you say we get out of here before someone can pin this mess on us?" he suggested.

"Quick, let's go!" I answered, conspiratorially.

We made our way to the subway and sat pressed together, my right hand tightly clasping his left in my lap. At first, I chatted away animatedly about our plans for the weekend, but found Jasper staring out the window, seemingly lost in his thoughts. "Jasper?" I asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Hmm?" he asked, still distracted. "Yeah, yeah, fine." I looked at him pensively, but he didn't elaborate and quickly went back inside his head.

I didn't believe his response. Coupled with the way he sounded on the phone last night, I knew something was wrong and he clearly wasn't ready to share it with me.

The excitement and anticipation that I had felt about sharing my feelings with him quickly turned into anxiety. I was hurt that he wouldn't share his problems with me, and I began to second-guess how invested he was in our relationship.

We went to dinner as planned, and as much as I wanted to guide the conversation to why he was acting so distant, I kept my mouth shut. On the surface, our conversation seemed normal, but it was almost as if he had put up a wall against me.

I decided that my declaration was premature at this time. Chastising myself for almost making the embarrassing admission, I decided to take the safe route and wait for him to tell me he loved me first, hoping that he just needed a little more time.

Still, questions continued to race through my mind.

_Is all the traveling getting to him?_

_Is he having second thoughts about us? _

_Am I not enough?_

That night, I held him close when we slipped under the covers for bed, already naked. Looking into his eyes, I willed for him to tell me what was happening, but just as I opened my mouth to let the questions fall from my lips, he swallowed the words in a kiss. Rolling on top of me, he settled between my legs, thrusting his hips into mine.

Scared of what his answer might be, I was easily swayed to let him distract me with the soft touch of his fingers on my skin, his hands in my hair and his breathless moans and words.

Grabbing the lube from my nightstand, I encouraged him to sit up on top of me, his weight settling on his knees outside of my hips. Slowly trailing my finger along the wrinkled skin of his hole, I paused for a moment to take in his gorgeous face before pushing inside of his heat. Lifting up and down, he fucked himself open on my fingers, moaning for me to add another, and another, until he shuddered and whispered, "I'm ready." Grabbing the condom, he rolled it down my length before sinking down onto my cock.

I pulled his upper body close to my chest and wrapped my arms around his shoulders, needing to have as much of him touching me as possible. He kissed me deeply and began to roll his hips, slowly, and I could feel his abs contract and release against my stomach with each motion.

His skin began to slick with sweat and I dragged my fingers across his back, up into the soft damp hair at the nape of his neck. Biting back the words of love dancing on the tip of my tongue, I kissed my way along his jaw and pressed my lips to his before Jasper pulled away and sat up. Leaning back with his fingers grasping my thighs, he began to shift his hips in small circles, grinding down on me.

A lazy smile spread across his face. "Mmm, yeah, baby. You feel so good." Gripping his hips, I took in the sight of my pale fingers splayed across his golden skin before holding his hips still and thrusting up into him. "That's it baby," he said, throwing his head back, "Yeah, fuck me."

"You like that?" I asked, and he simply moaned in response. "You like riding my dick? Come on, cowboy, show me what you've got."

Jasper started bouncing on my lap, tossing his head back with each rush of pleasure he felt. He was absolutely gorgeous like this, putting on a show just for me. "Please, touch me," he begged, his movements becoming more erratic. Reaching up, I tightly gripped his cock, stroking it quickly as he thrust into my fist. "Gonna come, baby," he said, before his voice dissolved into a series of broken little noises. Digging his fingernails into my thighs, he spilled onto my stomach, his body jerking with pleasure.

I couldn't hold back any longer and thrust deeply inside of him, spilling my seed with a loud cry of his name as my body shuddered with each wave of sensation. Jasper leaned down to kiss me, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him close. Tucking my face into his neck, I inhaled deeply, the sweat gathered there only enhancing his musky scent.

My emotions threatened to overwhelm me. I felt completely transparent, as if it was impossible for him not to know what I was feeling. Swallowing hard, my lips fell open to let the words spill out, but again Jasper's lips covered mine, keeping them safe in my mouth.

Pulling some wipes from my nightstand, Jasper and I cleaned up quickly. Placing a kiss to his forehead, I squeezed his shoulder softly and whispered goodnight as he curled into my side.

~O~

We slept late the following morning, not caring to leave our little cocoon under the covers until forced to by our growling stomachs. As we showered together, I reveled in the feel of his lean frame wrapped around me, pressing kisses into my shoulders. It was cold outside, so we bundled up before walking to a cafe down the street for a very late breakfast.

"So, Jasper," I asked, as we settled at a table after putting in our order, "how are things going with the job hunt? You haven't mentioned anything lately."

He stiffened slightly, the movement barely noticeable, before answering a bit gruffly. "That's because there isn't much to say."

_Oh_.

Perhaps that had been the issue causing his stress. Reaching across the table, I grabbed his hand, and rubbed my thumb over the skin of his knuckles. "Hey baby?" I waited for Jasper to make eye contact before continuing. "Things are going to work out just fine, okay? Any company would be lucky to have you."

Jasper chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah, the only people that don't seem to realize that are the hiring managers." Before I could respond, he stood up to grab our food from the counter.

When he returned, he quickly changed the subject to Emmett, who had recently started dropping hints that he might need some help ring shopping for Rosalie.

"That guy is about as subtle as a bull in a china shop. I knew it was a little fishy when he asked me to lunch without Rose, and then it just so happened that the restaurant he picked was next to a jewelry shop. As soon as he asked me if I wanted to pop in for a second, I called him out."

I laughed at the thought of the two of them perusing glass cases filled with diamond rings.

"Finally, he admitted that he was just starting to look around and get ideas. He asked me what I thought about the four Cs."

"The what?" I asked.

"Exactly. What the hell do I know about diamonds? I told him that if one of those Cs didn't stand for cock, I didn't need to know."

"Hah!"

"Then he pushed me into the store anyway, where I had to listen to some lady give me the highlights on cut, carat and something else. My advice to him was to focus on the carat, knowing Rose."

He laughed, and continued telling stories about how Emmett had been harassing him since then, emailing him pictures of rings and asking his opinion on them. As we finished up our meal, I let Jasper know that I wanted to take him to the new science museum by Golden Gate Park.

"That's awesome!" he exclaimed, eyes lighting up.

I had a feeling he was going to like the idea. "Yeah, they're supposed to have this great rainforest exhibit where they take you underneath a flooded Amazon riverbed." Jasper practically pulled me out of the restaurant once he heard that, and we made our way to the nearest subway stop.

The exhibit was absolutely breathtaking. Looking up, there were hundreds of tropical fish swimming above, and higher, we could see up to the rainforest canopy.

Glancing toward Jasper, I could see the same awe-struck look on his face. "This is amazing," he said.

"It sure is," I agreed. We were lucky enough to find ourselves alone in the exhibit for the moment, so I dragged Jasper into the corner and pulled him into a kiss. All of my anxiety from the previous day melted away as we kissed under the rainforest. My heart knew how good we were together and it was the perfect opportunity for me to tell him how I felt. I pulled back from his lips briefly and whispered his name.

He looked at me with a small smile on his face and responded, "Yeah, baby?"

Unfortunately, we were startled out of our intimate bubble by a high-pitched voice asking, "Mommy, why are those boys kissing each other?"

My eyes flew open and I spotted a young girl, maybe seven years old, pointing at us. I tensed, wondering how the mother would answer, hoping that our intimate moment wouldn't be ruined by homophobia.

"Because they love each other, sweetheart."

Jasper raised his eyebrows at me as the little girl responded to her mom, "Oh, okay," as if it made perfect sense to her, before becoming enthralled at the kaleidoscope of bright colors over her head.

I, on the other hand, was reeling. My shock at her response must've shown on my face. She had given me the perfect opportunity and all I had to do was tell him now, before more people came in. Or I could just tell him that the mom was right. I just needed to say something.

Anything.

But the moment passed as a flood of people entered the room, and Jasper grasped my hand to pull me along to the next exhibit.

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the rest of the museum. I didn't make it out of the Swamp Gallery without participating in the Adopt-an-animal program, choosing to donate to Claude, an albino alligator. As an added bonus, it provided me with a souvenir to give Jasper; a Claude stuffed animal that he snuggled on the way back to my place.

Back home, we had just enough time to take a quick nap before getting ready for dinner. As we dressed and headed out to the restaurant where we were meeting the guys, I assumed that whatever had been bothering Jasper had passed, since we'd had such a great afternoon.

When we sat at the table and began ordering, I realized that I was wrong.

Jasper was back to keeping to himself, not really participating in the conversation. At one point, when I went to the restroom, Seth followed me in and asked if everything was okay.

"I don't know," I replied, truthfully. "We had a great day together, but yesterday he was acting distant and he just keeps brushing me off when I ask him about it."

"Try not to worry about it too much, sweetie," Seth said. "I'm sure he'll come around and let you know what's going on when he's ready."

"Really, oh wise one? That's interesting advice coming from you. I seem to recall that patience is not really one of your strongest qualities."

"Then it's a good thing we're not talking about me," he laughed. "Come on, let's get back out there before someone thinks we're banging in the bathroom."

I smiled, chucking my paper towel at him. "You're such a romantic, Seth."

He narrowed his eyes at me playfully. "There is nothing wrong with a bathroom quickie, Edward Cullen, and I'm pretty sure that I wasn't hearing myself moaning in the bathroom at Le Colonial a couple of weeks ago."

I felt my face explode in flames and responded, "I have no idea what you're talking about," before turning on my heel and racing back to the table.

Apparently, my powers of stealth weren't as strong as I had initially thought.

~O~

The club that we went to was one of our usual haunts. The lights were flashing, and as soon as we walked in I could feel the thumping bass of the music running throughout my body.

After a few rounds of drinks I was more than a bit buzzed, my frustration with Jasper leading me to drink a little faster than I normally would.

Finally, sick of his unexplained resignation, I couldn't keep quiet any longer. "What the fuck is going on with you, Jasper?" I yelled over the music.

He looked up at me, surprised at my outburst. "Excuse me?" he yelled back. I grabbed his hand and pulled him outside.

"What's going on with you?" I asked again. "You've been acting weird since you got here."

He bummed a cigarette from someone standing near us and lit it up, taking a deep inhale. I had recently learned that Jasper smoked when he was tense, so I knew that whatever was going to come out of his mouth wasn't going to be good.

He started, "I need to talk to you about something, Edward. I— I wanted to do it earlier, but we were having such a nice day." He ran his free hand through his hair, tugging at his curls.

My heart started pounding in my chest and I could feel it beating all the way into my fingertips. Was he about to break up with me? Things seemed like they were going so well between us.

Had I misread everything?

"Edward, I— fuck, I really didn't want to do this here. I got a call from Corbin Fisher last week. They asked me to do another set of videos. I guess the ones I did last summer are selling really well, and," he paused to take another deep drag of the smoke, "they offered me a lot of money. I'm starting to run a little low on cash, and I told them I'd do it."

I stared at him numbly. This was the last thing I expected to hear.

Grabbing the cigarette from his mouth I took a deep inhale myself. "I thought that was all behind you, Jasper."

"I wanted it to be, Edward, but the offer's really good." He looked up at me with pleading eyes, but I was too shocked to respond. "There's more," he continued. "They want to pair me up with Riley. I guess there have been some requests—"

I saw red. I hadn't seen Riley since the first weekend I spent in Los Angeles, but he had rubbed me the wrong way then and now I wanted to kill him for thinking he could put his hands on Jasper.

Throwing the cigarette down, I pushed past him and headed to the bar. "I'll take a shot of tequila and a Corona." As the liquor burned its way down my throat, it helped alleviate some of the pain in my chest.

I was ready to tell Jasper that I fucking _loved_ him, while he was trying to tell me that he was getting back into porn.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I was such a fucking idiot. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before ordering another shot. The alcohol burned down my throat, distracting me for another moment. Tossing the empty glass back onto the table, I stalked over to a dark corner. From there, I saw Jasper come inside, looking around the club for me. Cradling my beer close to my chest, I hunched my shoulders and looked away, trying to make myself invisible.

He spotted me anyway. "Edward?" he asked. I didn't respond. "Edward, can we please go back to your place and talk about this?"

I had no idea how to respond to everything he had just told me, so instead I said, "Come on, Jasper, let's dance." He looked confused as I grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor, but complied anyway.

As we started to dance, I tried to pretend that the last ten minutes hadn't happened. My mind was cloudy from the alcohol and when his arms wrapped around my neck I felt, for just a moment, that everything was as it should have been. I loved Jasper, he loved me back, and we'd figure out a way to make the distance work.

I was snapped out of my fantasy by a body, pressing up against my back. "Back off," Jasper growled at our unexpected dance partner.

"No!" I said, grasping the guy's leg to keep him from leaving.

Jasper looked at me, shocked, while I ground my hips back onto the guy's crotch. Frozen in place, he asked, "What the hell are you doing, Edward?"

I turned my head to see who I was dancing with. He was good-looking, but I didn't give a fuck. It could have been anyone. "I have an idea, Jasper," I continued, "why don't we bring this guy back to my place? A threesome sounds like a great way for me to get used to sharing you."

Jasper's face fell. "Please, Edward, stop."

I spat out my response. "What, it's okay for you to go out and fuck other guys, but I don't get to have any fun? That sounds like a pretty shitty deal to me." I grabbed the guy's arm and placed it around my hips, dangerously low, and Jasper's eyes flashed with anger.

_Good_.

I wanted him to hurt. I wanted him to hurt as much as I did and it was as if I couldn't control the vitriol spewing from my mouth. "I mean, what good is having a boyfriend in porn if I can't enjoy the perks of it, Jasper?" He flinched, almost as if he had been hit.

Suddenly, I felt a desperate need to get away from Jasper, from the club, from the disastrous turn of the evening. I pushed myself off the other guy and stormed to the exit, not sure if Jasper was following me or not.

As soon as I reached the corner I heard him yell out my name and stopped walking. He reached out to touch me, but I just couldn't. I couldn't stand for him to touch me, knowing that his hands would be all over Riley soon, for everyone to see.

_Riley_.

If anything could have made this worse, that was it. I knew that he wanted Jasper the second I met him and was sure that he played a significant role in orchestrating this deal. Fucking Riley was probably dancing around in a pair of sparkly blue briefs making his full body wax appointment in preparation for the day.

I felt sick to my stomach.

Holding up my hand, I hailed a cab. "Let's just go, Jasper."

His heavy breaths only amplified the silence between us, sitting as far away from each other as possible in the car.

The minutes seemed to stretch on forever until we reached my apartment. I paid the driver and quickly opened the door before trudging up the staircase, feeling exhausted from the evening.

Walking directly into the kitchen, I poured a glass of water, still unable to meet Jasper's gaze.

"Edward?"

Looking up, the face that greeted me broke my heart. Jasper looked utterly destroyed.

I'm sure my expression mirrored his.

He ran his hands over his face. "This is why I didn't tell you. I wanted to, Edward, but I was so scared of how you would react."

"Really, Jasper?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "So, this is my fault? It's my fault that you want to get paid to fuck Riley? Fuck you!"

"That's not what I meant, Edward! I just meant that I was scared to talk to you because I didn't want it to affect our relationship."

"And how, exactly, did you think this wouldn't affect our relationship? Huh? Did you think I wouldn't mind?"

Jasper ran his hands over his face. "No, but I just… I'm starting to run low on money, and the job hunt hasn't been going well. They made me a really good offer."

"How much?" I asked, anxious to know what that meant to him. Jasper looked away. "How much?" I asked again, more forcefully.

"Fifteen grand," he replied, his voice almost a whisper.

"Fifteen grand? So that's how much our relationship is worth to you?" I asked, desperately wanting him to say that he wouldn't do it, that our relationship was more important and we'd find a way to work out his financial situation.

"Edward, that's not fair. I— I don't know what else to do."

"You do what normal people do, Jasper! You go and get a regular job, at Starbucks or at a restaurant, or some shit!"

His jaw set before answering. "So now I'm not normal?"

_Shit_.

"You knew this about me when we met. Is that what you've thought the whole time?"

"Jasper that's not—"

"Well, I'm glad I know where I stand with you now. Please excuse me while I change. If you don't mind, I'd prefer to stay on your couch this evening." He turned on his heel and walked away, slamming the bathroom door behind him.

My head felt fuzzy with anger and hurt, exacerbated by all the booze. I walked to the linen closet and grabbed a blanket and pillow, setting it on the couch before walking into my room and closing the door. I waited until I heard Jasper leave the bathroom to go in myself and prepare for bed.

My bed felt huge when I crawled under the covers, feeling completely alone even though Jasper was only in the other room.

That night I lay awake for a long time, unsure if we were going to be able to fix this.

~O~

In the morning, when I woke up alone, memories of the night before came rushing back to me. Quickly, I jumped out of bed, wanting to find Jasper and tell him that he couldn't do this to us.

When I walked out of my room, Jasper was sitting on the couch, fully dressed, with his bag on the floor next to him.

My heart sank.

It was clear to me that his decision had been made and he wasn't willing to try to work anything out.

I stood frozen in place as he walked over and wrapped his arms around me, whispering apologies into my ear. I didn't move as he walked down the staircase and placed his hand on the doorknob. Turning back toward me, he spoke before closing the door behind him.

"Goodbye, Edward."

Defeated, I leaned back against the door, without the strength or will to support myself anymore. My knees gave out and I slid to the ground, gripping my hair in my hands as the first tears began to fall.

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><p><strong>*peeks from behind hands* Merry freakin' Christmas, right? Please drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. Did Edward overreact, or was his anger totally justified? A few of you guessed that this was going to happen...<strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - there were a lot of opinions about Edward and Jasper's fight, and I loved reading your thoughts on how they handled things!**

**Also, I'm so excited to that three of my stories have been nominated for Sunflower Awards! Voting starts tomorrow, so please go and check out all the nominees, and vote for your faves - http : / thesunflowerawards (dot) blogspot (dot) com/  
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**As always, I must profusely thank the incomparable cocoalvin for working her beta magic on this chapter. Any mistakes from the final edit are mine alone!  
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**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
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**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, but I do have friends who say ridiculous things like "an asshole that looks like chewed up bubble gum," that I then have to work into fanfic. That phrase legitimately came up during brunch. DURING BRUNCH!  
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><p><em>I stood frozen in place as he walked over and wrapped his arms around me, whispering apologies into my ear. I didn't move as he walked down the staircase and placed his hand on the doorknob. Turning back toward me, he spoke before closing the door behind him.<em>

_"Goodbye, Edward."_

_Defeated, I leaned back against the door, without the strength or will to support myself anymore. My knees gave out and I slid to the ground, gripping my hair in my hands as the first tears began to fall._

~O~_  
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I don't know how long I sat on the floor, numb, but a knock at the door broke through the fog clouding my mind.

_Jasper?_

Standing up quickly, my knees cracked after not having moved in so long. My heart pounding in anticipation, I ran down the steps and threw open the front door.

Seth was waiting on the other side of it.

Without even looking at my face he pushed past me and started walking up the stairs, already talking. "You know, Edward, I understand that you want to have your time alone with Jasper when he's here, but it's not cool to ditch your friends. I let it slide last night when you guys just took off from the club without telling anyone, but I've been calling you all morning about the brunch that we had planned."

With everything going on, I had completely forgotten that we told Seth we'd meet up this morning.

"I mean, have you even listened to my messages?" He huffed, annoyed. I didn't answer, just took a deep breath. When we reached the top of the staircase Seth finally turned around and looked at me and I guessed the look on my face clued him in that I hadn't intentionally ditched everyone this morning.

His tone quickly shifted from anger to concern. "Oh shit, honey, what's going on?" he asked.

I simply shook my head back and forth, unsure if I opened my mouth that I'd be able to speak. My lip quivered as I tried to restrain a fresh round of tears. Stepping forward, Seth wrapped his arms around my shoulders, cradling my face to his neck and whispered, "What happened, Edward?"

My whole body shuddered as I finally broke. Whispering soft noises, he just stood there holding me while I stained his collar with my tears.

Seth guided me over to the couch, somehow managing to sit me down on it even as I clung to him for dear life. Holding me tightly, he ran his fingers up and down my back in a soothing gesture, quietly saying, "Go ahead and let it out, Edward. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out, okay?"

Nodding into his chest, I appreciated that he didn't tell me it was going to be okay when he didn't even know what happened yet. Especially when I didn't feel like it was ever going to be okay.

Finally, I calmed down enough to sit back and release Seth from my grip. Softly, he said, "I'm gonna grab you some water, okay?"

I nodded, and Seth stood up and left the room. Exhaling deeply, I listened to him fumble around the kitchen, returning just a few minutes later with a glass and a wet cloth. "For your face," he said, sitting back down next to me.

The cool water calmed my overheated skin. "Thanks, Seth," I said.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Looking up, I tried to gather my thoughts. Eventually, I just responded, "It's all fucked up, Seth."

"Jasper?" he asked. Hearing his name made my heart clench tightly in my chest.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice almost a whisper. "I knew something was wrong this weekend, I fucking knew it, but I didn't expect…" My voice trailed off as I realized how difficult it was to say it out loud.

"What, Edward?"

Steeling myself, I continued, "He told me that the job hunt isn't going well, and since he's running low on cash, he's going to do another movie."

"Shit." Seth's eyes turned soft and sympathetic. "I'm so sorry, Edward. What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean what am I going to do? It's already done. He left this morning, before we could even talk about it."

"What?" Seth sounded surprised. Why?"

As much as I didn't want to rehash what happened the previous night, I knew I had to, and wasn't proud of my behavior. "I was so hurt when he told me, Seth," I started, trying to explain. "I got upset and said some really mean things to him at the club. That's why we left."

Seth let out a sigh. "Why don't you start at the beginning?"

I told him everything. I told him how much I'd wanted to hurt Jasper, and how I'd suggested a threesome at the club before storming out. I told him that he was going to do the movie with that little prick, Riley. And then I'd told him that I'd said Jasper should do what normal people do, and how badly he'd reacted to that.

"Oh, jeez, Edward. You know that this kid has had to do whatever he could to survive on his own—"

"I know, I know, it was a fucked up thing to say. I didn't mean for it to come out like that, but Jasper completely shut down before I could explain. He slept on the couch and then left first thing in the morning."

Running my hands through my hair, I continued, "They're going to pay him fifteen grand for it. A series, or something."

Seth's eyes opened wide. "Shit, Edward, that's a lot of money, especially for a kid his age." He was right, but that didn't make the thought sting any less. "Remember what it was like being broke?" he asked. Gently, he added, "Jasper doesn't have anyone to help him out if he gets in trouble."

I asked the question I had wanted to since Jasper told me yesterday. "What about me? Why wouldn't he at least talk to me about it?"

Seth thought for a moment and then responded, "Maybe he didn't want to look like he couldn't take care of himself, especially in front of his older, more established boyfriend."

"That's ridiculous," I shot back. "I honestly thought he wasn't going to do it anymore."

Seth looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, "Did Jasper ever actually say that?"

I thought back to our conversations and realized that he hadn't. "I guess not. I just assumed—"

"From everything you've told me, I assumed the same thing Edward, but you can't fault Jasper for going back to what he knows when he's struggling."

"I guess, but I let myself really fall for him." Sadly, I continued, "I don't think I would've seriously kept seeing Jasper if I realized this was an option."

"Oh, honey, I know, and I'm sorry that I pushed you on this—"

"Stop it, Seth, this isn't your fault. I just feel totally blindsided."

"I know, but I'm sure he was thinking that it would be quick money for not a lot of work. You have to realize that he doesn't think about sex the same way that you do— it doesn't immediately correlate to intimacy for him."

Taking a deep breath, I replied, "I don't know that I could be with someone like that."

Seth wrapped his arms around my neck. "Honey, at least you found out before getting too invested."

"I guess." I wasn't sure that was true, but I would take whatever comfort I could get at this point.

"Well," he stated, "when you're ready, you just stick with the King of the Castro, and I'll set you up with a new man in no time."

"Thanks, Seth," I said, wiping my eyes, "but I think it's a little too soon to think about that." Seth nodded sympathetically, and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at his self-appointed title.

"What?" Seth asked.

"King of the Castro? Seth, I'm pretty sure you were overthrown by younger twinks years ago."

Seth gasped indignantly and I barked out a laugh. "Overthrown? By whom, exactly?"

"Oh, I don't know, there's so many of them. That sexy blond, Marcus, has certainly been making a splash lately."

He looked horrified. "Marcus? I don't think so. I've heard that boy's asshole looks like a piece of chewed up bubblegum. I, on the other hand, am still tight and smooth as the day I lost my virginity in Bobby Johnson's basement." Laughing, I fell into his side. "Marcus," he grumbled, "I'll let that slide today, but you'd better watch yourself. I'll have my knights kick your ass. Those bitches would die for me."

"Are they your knights in shining rhinestones?" I giggled.

"You'd better believe it." Leaning forward, he grabbed the remote off the table. "Now," he started, flipping through to my Netflix instant queue, "Johnny Depp or Jake Gyllenhaal?"

~O~

Seth stayed with me through dinner and another round of movie watching. I knew what he was doing, trying to keep me distracted so I couldn't dwell on Jasper, and I appreciated it more than I could say. Finally, though, he had to leave so I could get to sleep. Alone again, I tossed and turned in bed for hours, replaying the previous night over and over in my head, wondering what I could have done differently.

I woke up feeling like absolute hell; my eyes puffy and body exhausted. Moving through my apartment on autopilot, I didn't even know what I pulled out of the closet to wear, not really caring if it matched. As I pulled my coat over my shoulders, I hesitated briefly at the door before pulling it open. After these past weeks of talking to Jasper every morning, trudging through the cold to the train stop, I knew that my morning walk would be especially quiet and lonely.

When I shuffled into the office, Bella happened to be walking past my desk. Noticing me, she stopped, eyebrows wagging, and asked, "How was your weekend with lover boy, Edward?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, I knew that I had to tell her what happened, but didn't feel up to explaining everything. "Jasper and I broke up, Bella."

Her smirk quickly pulled into a concerned frown. "Oh, Edward," she said, reaching out for me. "What happened?"

Shrinking away slightly, I said, "I'm sorry, Bella, but I'm not ready to get into it yet. Can we talk later?"

Nodding, she responded, "Of course. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks, Bella. I appreciate it."

I continued to hide out in my office all week. Bella knew that I was avoiding her, but I couldn't bring myself to rehash the weekend again. It had been difficult enough with Seth, but Bella was there from the moment I saw Jasper.

However, I knew that I could only keep her at bay for so long. On Friday, I finally felt somewhat capable of dealing with it, and I picked up the phone and called her cell.

"Thank God you're alive," she answered. "I was this close to sending a search party to raid your office."

"Hey, sweetie," I replied.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"Not great," I answered, truthfully. It had been a difficult week.

Ever the problem-solver, she responded, "What can I do? I tried really hard to leave you alone this week, even though I wanted to camp outside your door."

I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped my mouth. "I appreciate your willpower."

"Edward Anthony Cullen! Was that a laugh? At my expense?"

"Perhaps."

"Well, then. Get ready to do that all night long."

I groaned, "Bella, I really don't think—"

"I don't pay you to think, Edward."

"You don't pay me at all, Bella."

"Semantics."

"That's not really proper use—"

"I'll be loitering outside your office at five pm sharp. Don't even try to sneak out early or I'll have security alert me and I'll chase you down."

"Please. You're not running anywhere in those heels you love to wear."

"Point taken. However, your smart mouth is not going to save you from getting spectacularly drunk with me tonight. So put it on your calendar."

"Spectacularly?" I asked, warily.

"You have no idea."

~O~

As promised, Bella was waiting for me at five o'clock sharp. With a pre-emptive apology to my liver, I shut down my computer.

"What's the plan?" I asked, pulling on my coat.

"I'm so glad you asked. First, we're heading to the Irish Bank for a drink or two, and then we're going to your place so you can change clothes before going to Badlands."

"Badlands?" I whined.

"Yes! You've always promised to take me there, and I really want to see a hot twink gogo dancer. Preferably wearing tiny little underwear. It will be awesome!"

"This isn't an episode of Queer as Folk, Bella, we're not going to Babylon where you can ogle Justin."

"Whatever, Edward, stop ruining my fantasy."

Ducking into the bar, it was already busy with the after work happy hour crowd. Somehow, Bella still managed to snag a couple of bar stools for us before leaning in and whispering something to the bartender.

"What did you just order for us?" I asked, suspiciously.

She smiled. "Shot of whiskey and a beer."

"Bella!"

"I said spectacularly drunk, didn't I?" she responded, as the bartender put the glasses down in front of us. Holding up the shot glass, she waited for me to pick mine up and tap it against hers. "Now, drink up."

The bitter taste filled my mouth, burning down my throat before I set the glass back down on the table. "God dammit, Bella," I groaned between gulps of beer. "Why do I think I'm going to regret this in the morning?"

"Please. What's life without a little regret?" I sighed in response, knowing where she was taking this. "So, here's the plan for the night," she continued. "You tell me what happened with Jasper while we're here, but once we leave The Irish Bank, we're done talking about it. Got it?"

Quietly, I responded, "Okay. But first..." I flagged down the bartender and ordered another shot.

I was gonna need it.

~O~

"I love you so much, Bella! You're such an awesome friend!" I yelled out, throwing my arms around her as we pushed our way up to the bar at Badlands.

"I know I am!" she slurred, barely less intoxicated than I was. "Now what do you want to drink? Oh, never mind, I know what we're getting." Bella yelled something at the bartender, and he came back a few moments later with a creamy looking concoction, as well as a couple of beers.

"Blow job shots, Bella? That's so cliché!"

"I know!" she said, tossing it back quickly. I followed suit. "Now grab your beer and let's go dance." With no choice but to follow her swaying hips, we made our way through the crowd, but a few steps short of the dance floor Bella stopped short, causing me to crash right into her.

"What the hell?" I asked. Following her gaze, I saw what caused her to freeze in her tracks. A dark skinned, beefy brunette was shaking his ass as if his life depended on it, while another man stuck a dollar bill into his tiny shorts.

She spun on her heel with a coordination that I no longer possessed. "Can we?" she pleaded.

"Stuff money in that guy's shorts?" I asked, to clarify the request.

Rolling her eyes, she responded, "Yes, Dad, stuff money into that hot guy's shorts so he shakes his ass for us." I laughed, and pulling on my arm, she dragged me in front of him.

Grabbing my wallet, I pulled out a dollar and explained, "Okay. I'll show you first, and then you can do one." Her face lit up and I smiled up at the dancer. Pulling down the side of his briefs, he exposed more of the delicious 'V' running along his defined abs. Reaching up, I gently inserted the bill under the elastic, garnering a wink and a smile from the dancer as he snapped it back against his skin. Turning back toward Bella, I announced, "Now, your turn." Instead of a dollar, I handed her a ten, hoping the dancer would notice.

He did.

Biting his lip, the man dragged his fingertips down his broad chest before pulling the side of his briefs from his skin with a shimmy. Gingerly, Bella reached out and tucked the bill into his shorts. Satisfied, she began to pull her hand away, but before she moved too far the dancer grabbed her by the wrist. Bella's eyes went wide as saucers as he tucked her hand in his own and palmed his dick with it, stroking up and down. Leaning his head back, he moaned in pleasure before saying, "Thanks, baby," and letting her go.

Shocked, Bella turned to look at me, and I was unable to stop the laughter bubbling from my chest. Throwing her arm over my shoulder, she started laughing along with me, stating, "We're coming back here every weekend, Edward. Every fucking weekend."

~O~

"Oh, God," I groaned, waking up with my head pounding. Rolling to my side, I prayed that there was a glass of water within my reach, groaning again when I saw there was nothing there. I couldn't believe I had to actually drag myself out of bed with this hangover. I groaned once more for good measure.

"Can you please shut the fuck up?"

I jumped in surprise at hearing another person's voice behind me. The quick movement did nothing to help the pain in my head, or the queasy feeling in my stomach. It also brought the fact that my face felt like it was on fire to my attention.

"Bella?" I asked, praying that was who I lying next to.

"Oh my God, you're the worst person ever," she responded.

I turned to look at her and was faced with a mess of dark brown hair. "What are you doing here? In my bed?" I asked. Peaking under the covers, I was grateful to find that I was wearing underwear. Probably much skimpier underwear than Bella was used to seeing on men, but nevertheless, they did the job.

Rolling over, she croaked, "You promised me last night that you'd make sure I didn't choke on my own vomit while asleep."

"That's lovely," I answered. "I'm getting some water and aspirin. Can I interest you in the same?"

"Fuck, yes," she replied, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, looking a bit worse for the wear. Finally opening them, her eyes immediately locked onto my face. "Oh, shit," she said.

"Oh shit, what?" I asked. My fingers immediately shot up to my cheek. "Is something wrong with my face? Is that why it hurts?"

Bella faced turned a bit pale at the question. "Um, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad? What do you mean, it's not that bad?" I asked, my voice getting panicky. Jumping out of bed, I ran to the nearest mirror, gasping when I saw my reflection.

The entire right side of my face was covered in road rash.

"This is really bad," I stated. "What the hell happened to my face, Bella? How am I going to explain this at work?" I asked, touching the tender skin. "Is being a drunken idiot legal ground for termination?"

"Don't be so dramatic," she responded. "It was actually a very chivalrous injury."

"Really," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice. I would've rolled my eyes as well, but the pain in my head warned me against it.

Sitting up, Bella asked, "Do you remember leaving the club?"

"Very, very vaguely."

"Well, I was complaining about my feet hurting from walking everywhere in my heels, so you offered to carry me."

"I did? That doesn't sound smart at all."

"Well, hindsight is twenty-twenty, isn't it?" she said, pointedly. "Everything was fine until you decided you wanted to run to try to catch us a cab. I'm still not even sure what you tripped on, but we ate it hard."

I groaned. "Please tell me this happened somewhere completely deserted."

Bella laughed. "Of course it didn't. We were barely down the street from the club."

"Ugh, I knew that last shot was a bad idea. That's the last time I ever accept a blow job from a woman," I announced, to a snickering Bella.

Doing a quick appraisal of her, I didn't notice any visible injuries. "Wait a second, why don't you look fucked up, too?" I asked.

She waived her hand over the sheets, gesturing to her lower body. "You should see my knee. I'm sure I'll be limping for the next few days, and there will definitely be no heels for the next week, at least."

"How convenient that your injuries can be concealed with a pant suit," I responded, suspicion lacing my voice. With another glance in the mirror, I poked at the scabbing, pink skin on my face. "Seriously, Bella, what am I going to say at work? This looks awful."

"Shaving?" Bella replied.

"On my forehead? Don't be a smartass."

"Fine. Get us some water and we'll think of something," she said, collapsing back onto my pillows.

I stood up with a groan. The weekend was clearly off to a fabulous start.

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><p><strong>Edward's friends stepped up in this chapter to help cheer him up, but will they be able to help him get over Jasper? Drop me a line and let me know what you think!<strong>


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter *hangs head in shame* RL got in the way, but the boys are back!  
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**As always, I must thank the one and only cocoalvin for massaging this chapter with her magical beta fingers. Any mistakes from the final edit are mine alone!  
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**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
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**Disclaimer: Don't own, wish I did, you know the drill, people.  
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***whispers* oh, yeah, and this is the last chapter before an epilogue.  
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><p><em>With another glance in the mirror, I poked at the scabbing, pink skin on my face. "Seriously, Bella, what am I going to say at work? This looks awful."<em>

_"Shaving?" Bella replied._

_"On my forehead? Don't be a smartass."_

_"Fine. Get us some water and we'll think of something," she said, collapsing back onto my pillows._

_I stood up with a groan. The weekend was clearly off to a fabulous start._

_~O~_

The hideous road rash on my face bought me a few weeks of sympathetic looks, along with self-imposed home confinement. Luckily, I was able to explain the situation to my boss by telling him that Bella and I had recently taken up cycling and had gotten into a nasty collision with each other over the weekend.

Clearly, he didn't know either one of us very well if he believed that story, although it wasn't that far from the truth if you replaced the word cycling with heavy drinking.

As I healed, I tried like hell to keep my mind occupied by anything other than Jasper. I kept busy by working longer hours at the office, and then working out to the point of exhaustion once I left. The worst part of each day was being home alone. I had never minded it before, and always enjoyed having my own space, but not having Jasper's warm, honeyed drawl to look forward to every night made me feel even unbelievably lonely.

Somehow, Jasper had managed to work his way into so many aspects of my life in such a short amount of time. Besides our morning chats on my walk to the commuter train, we would talk at least once during the workday and then usually again at night before bed. We would email each other several times a day, usually just to say hi, or sharing funny links we had found.

His presence was strong around my apartment, too, and it wasn't only from the memories of him being there. When I stumbled across a t-shirt of his, my eyes watered at the memory of stealing it so I could keep his scent with me. In the kitchen, I found a small flashlight he had mailed to me when my power went out, and I couldn't find a flashlight anywhere. He teased me mercilessly over the phone, but a few days later a package arrived on my doorstep from him with a note saying,

_So you can always find your fuse box. J_

Several times that I had picked up my cell and scrolled to his name, going so far as to have my finger hovering over the send button, but I always put the phone down before I touched it. I missed him so much, but couldn't forget the way that he walked out on me. Maybe my ego was getting in the way, but I wasn't going to put my pride on the line along with my heart.

My heart was already broken and I didn't know how much more I could take.

~O~

The following Friday night, I had just finished changing out of my work clothes and was about to settle into the corner of my couch with a book when my phone rang. Checking the caller ID, I turned down my stereo before answering with a sigh.

"Hey, Seth, what's up?"

"I just called some of the boys and we're meeting up for drinks." It was more of a statement than a question and I knew I'd have to tread lightly to get out of this.

"Seth, I don't really think I'm in the mood. I was looking forward to having a chill night, but we can hang out tomorrow." If I could just put him off until the next day, I could probably talk him into lunch or something—anything other than a bar. I wasn't ready to get back into that scene yet.

"Edward, I will not take... wait a second. Are you listening to Adele right now?"

Whoops. I guess I hadn't turned down the volume enough.

"Uh, maybe?" I answered, a bit sheepishly.

"Oh, no, I don't think so, buddy. Are you actively trying to fall into a depression? Nope, there is no way you're staying home tonight. Get your ass off the couch, we're meeting at The Bubble Lounge in an hour."

Shit. Foiled by Adele.

"The Bubble Lounge, Seth?" I hadn't been there in years. It catered more to the after work crowd, making it was somewhat of an odd choice.

"Yes, Edward. The Bubble Lounge," he responded, sounding a little put out that I was questioning his plan

"But, why?" I asked. "No one goes to the Bubble Lounge unless they just got a new job or they're from out of town."

"Either way it's fresh or employed meat and that's what I call a win-win. We'll just go for a drink; it'll be fun. I'm in the mood for some champagne."

"Big surprise there. When are you not in the mood for champagne?" I asked.

"When I'm in the mood for tequila, so check back with me around midnight. See you in a bit!"

With a self-pitying groan, I closed my book and dragged myself off the couch, knowing that I was better off not crossing Seth when he was on a mission. In any case, I'd been pushing my friends off for weeks now and maybe this would be just what I needed. Maybe I would meet someone amazing that would make me forget that Jasper Whitlock ever existed.

Realistically, I was probably going to end up with nothing more than a drunken hook-up if anything, but a guy could hope. Taking off my comfy clothes, I looked at myself in the mirror before stepping into the shower and then repeated, like a mantra.

_You are going to have fun tonight. You are going to have fun tonight._ _You are going to have fun tonight._

I didn't know if it was going to work, but it was damned well worth a shot.

~O~

"Edward!"

I heard Seth yelling my name as I stepped into the bar. Squinting, I spotted him standing up in the middle of a cluster of couches toward the back of the room. There was already an open bottle of champagne on the table and as I walked up he thrust a full glass into my hand. "Cheers," I said, clinking against his glass and taking a long sip before looking around at who else was there. The usual suspects surrounded me, greeting me with either a hug or a kiss on the cheek.

I stiffened when Peter reached me, just waiting for him to smugly remind me that he tried to warn me about Jasper, but instead he surprised me by saying, "I'm sorry about what happened." Shocked, I looked at him, wide-eyed. "I will admit that I was maybe just a teensy bit jealous, but I never wanted to see you get hurt," he explained. "So, I'm sorry that happened."

"Thanks, Pete. I appreciate that." I pulled him into a hug to show that there were no hard feelings and we sat onto the couch behind us. "So what's new with you?" I asked.

We ordered some food from the waiter and another bottle of champagne as I caught up on everyone's lives for the last month. Pete had met a new guy recently who was older and supposedly looked just like Brad Pitt. Brady had just moved into a new place and was looking for a roommate to take the second bedroom. He had posted the listing on Craigslist and apparently some guy responded that he would love to see it, but that Brady should know he prefers to walk around naked and if Brady ever wanted to sit on his lap while he read a bedtime story, he would be fine with that.

"What the fuck kind of fantasy is that?" Brady asked. "I mean, why are there so many weirdos out there? I just want a normal roommate, who's clean and nice and maybe wants to watch baseball with me every once in a while. Or ogle the guys on True Blood. Whichever."

"Is there any male character on that show that you don't have a crush on, Brady?" Seth interjected.

"Nope. Even the old guys are kind of sexy."

"Eeewww!" Seth yelled, scrunching his nose.

Sam and Eric had adopted a puppy and Sam showed me pictures on his phone while Eric snuggled up to him, cooing like a proud parent. The sight tugged at my heartstrings, but I also realized that life went on while I sat in my apartment, wallowing over my broken heart. I chastised myself for being a terrible friend the past month and resolved to do better.

After polishing off another bottle of champagne, we decided that the Bubble Lounge had given us all it had to offer and settled our bills while discussing which bar to go to next.

Knowing how long the discussion could take, I excused myself to the restroom. It was surprising, how good it felt to be out of my apartment, my head feeling a warm buzz from the champagne. Maybe my earlier mantra had worked.

Or not. As I emerged from the back and walked to our group, the hair on the back of my neck prickled. I felt the strange sensation of being watched and quickly scanned the crowd, searching for anyone looking at me.

A head of blond curls in the corner captured my eye and my breath caught in my throat as I took a step closer. Some idiot was standing directly in my sight line, and I couldn't see the person's face, just the familiar looking golden curls.

But it couldn't be…

Could it?

What if it was?

I shook my head to try and clear the jumbled thoughts running through my mind. My heart began to race at the possibility seeing Jasper here. What would I say? What would I do? Anything? Nothing?

I had no idea and stood rooted to the floor, waiting for the person blocking my view to move.

When he finally did, the sight in front of me stole my breath away.

It was Jasper and his eyes were locked on mine.

Anxiety raced through my body, making me light-headed as my body debated between fight and flight.

My eyes darted back to my table of friends. They were standing in a large circle, ready to leave, unaware of the turmoil raging through me. Somehow, though, Seth looked up just as I was about to turn away. I couldn't begin to imagine what I looked like and his face immediately turned into a mask of concern. I glanced toward Jasper, who was no longer looking at me, before looking back at Seth. He followed my gaze and I knew the second he spotted him. Seth's mouth fell open in shock.

At that moment, my body made the decision of flight and I quickly made my way to the door, just short of breaking into a run. Reaching the street, I inhaled a ragged breath before picking a random direction to walk in. Pulling at my hair, my mind raced as I wondered what he was doing here. It wasn't fair. I wasn't nearly ready for this. God, I had just barely made it out of my apartment for the first fucking time since he left.

I was just about to turn the corner when I heard my name called out behind me, followed by heavy footfalls. It was the familiar drawl that I had missed so much in the last few weeks and I froze in place, knowing that I didn't have the strength to walk away without knowing what was going on.

"Whew, I almost didn't catch you in time," he panted, his voice much closer now.

Steeling myself, I turned around slowly, heart clenching painfully at his nervous smile. "What are you doing here, Jasper?" I asked, my voice sounding more defeated than biting as I had intended.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and let out a heavy sigh. "Okay," he said, "that's a fair—"

"Actually, it doesn't really matter." Seeing him here, right in front of me, was killing me and I had to get out of there. "I've gotta run. Good luck with everything." I barely caught his face falling before I spun on my heel to walk away.

"Wait!" he yelled, grabbing at my arm. "I... Can we go somewhere and talk? Maybe grab a cup of coffee or something?"

His eyes were pleading with me, but I just couldn't. "I don't think so, Jasper," I replied, turning away.

"Wait," he said, "please." Closing my eyes I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the warm buzz on my skin where he was still touching me, even under several layers of clothing. "Please," he said again, his voice so quiet I almost didn't hear what came next. "I didn't do it, Edward."

I turned back toward Jasper slowly, trying to process what he was telling me. "Didn't do what?" I asked, cautiously, needing to know exactly what he meant.

"The videos. I didn't... Look, just come and grab a coffee with me and I can explain, okay?" he asked, gesturing to a coffee shop across the street. Not trusting myself to answer, I simply nodded. "Okay," he confirmed, a hint of a smile crossing his face.

We headed across the street and ordered quickly. Jasper claimed a table in the back while I waited for our drinks. Although there were a million questions running through my mind, I took my time studying him as he settled into his seat.

He looked more beautiful than I remembered, and even after the past month without any contact, my body craved him. My arms ached to wrap around his waist while my fingers tingled at the thought of burying themselves in his soft curls.

But the painful ache in my chest he left behind when he walked out of my life demanded just as much attention.

My name was called and I grabbed our drinks and made my way to him. Not sure where to start, I silently stared at the edge of the table.

After a moment, Jasper began to speak. "So, I guess I should start from the last time I was here. I know that I completely shut you out after our fight." My heart clenched at the memory, but I hummed for him to continue. "When you said that what I was doing wasn't normal, it felt like you were telling me that I wasn't good enough for you." I opened my mouth to interrupt and defend my words, but Jasper raised his hand to stop me. "Please, just let me get through this part."

"Alright, fine."

"When our fight happened, I spent the night kicking myself for falling so hard for you. Throughout our whole relationship, I'd felt like I had to fight to prove that I wasn't just some trashy porn star to you. When you said that, I realized that your opinion was never going to change, as long as I stayed a part of the industry."

The same night that I realized I couldn't share him.

"At first I was pissed off. Then I was sad. I just... I missed you a lot. One night, Emmett came over and got me shitfaced and made me spill the whole story to him." A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, remembering my night with Bella. "He talked some sense into me, made me really think about what I wanted to do with my life. The next day, hung over as all get out, I called the site and told them that I wasn't going to take the contract."

My eyes darted up to meet his in surprise. I couldn't believe what he was saying, but more importantly, I didn't know what this meant.

"I started casting the net out a little further than I had been in my job search when I got a call from a company I had applied to a few weeks earlier." His eyes lit up. "I didn't tell you about it at the time, because I wasn't sure how you would react, but the company is here, in San Francisco—"

"Wait, what? What do you mean you didn't know how I'd react? Jasper, I would've been so happy—" I snapped my mouth shut.

A nervous chuckle escaped his mouth and he ran his fingers through his hair before continuing. "Well, I hope you might still be happy, because that's the long answer to what I'm doing here. I took the job. Officially. Today." Reaching out, he grasped my hand in his and a spark of electricity shot up my arm.

My traitor body didn't seem to care about his disappearing act a few weeks earlier.

"I'm sorry I didn't get in touch sooner, but I wanted to be sure that I could do it on my own. I've missed you so much and I hoped that we could start over. With me as Jasper, the IT guy instead of Jasper, the porn actor."

Slowly, I turned his words over in my head, trying to make sense of them.

"Well? What do you think?"

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, unable to quite find the words I wanted to say. I couldn't imagine him having told me he was going to get out of the industry, just to fall back into it, but conversely, I'd been devastated the past few weeks. My heart was easily convinced, but my head wasn't swayed quite as easily.

"Please say something, Edward. I'm dying here."

Taking a deep breath, I pulled my hand from under his. His touch clouded my thoughts, and I needed to be honest. I started, "You can definitely say that I was not expecting any of this when I let Seth drag me to The Bubble Lounge today. I honestly can't decide if I wish you had told me, or if I'm glad you didn't." He looked at me pensively, and as much as I wanted to jump into his arms and say everything was okay, he needed to know how I was affected by everything. "You weren't the only one upset after that fight, Jasper. When you left, it was like you didn't care enough about me or our relationship to even talk to me."

He nodded for me to continue.

"I know that I said some hurtful things that I didn't mean, but you didn't even give me a chance to try to fix it, you just left." I had to look away as I said the next part and my voice was almost a whisper when I continued. "I'm worried that there's always going to be a little voice in the back of my mind wondering if I'm going to say something to set you off again. I don't think I could take it if that happened."

It was more than I wanted to say, but it was the truth. I was met with silence and looked up to find Jasper's eyes shining, holding back unshed tears. "I hate that I made you feel that way and that it's my fault you're unsure about me. I don't know how to explain it, but I needed to do this on my own. I was determined, but if I couldn't make it and fell back into my old job? I couldn't risk disappointing you again."

It made sense, but I was still hurt that he didn't include me. "I can't say that I understand, but I do see where you're coming from. I don't know what I would've done if you decided to go back."

Jasper jumped in at the opening I had given him. "I guess the only thing that will prove to you that I'm here to stay is time. If you'll give me the chance, Edward." The look on his face was so hopeful, and a feeling of warmth and possibility bubbled up in my chest.

Could I do this? Could I learn to trust him again and accept that he left me to come back a stronger person?

"I'm afraid to let you leave," he said, interrupting my thoughts. "I've missed you, and I'm scared that you're just going to disappear." He looked nervous as he continued. "My hotel is just around the corner. Will you come and have a drink with me? Maybe we could order a late night snack?" His face was a mix of hope and uncertainty as he patiently waited for me to respond, and the words he said that convinced me to stay in Vegas flashed through my mind.

_Scared money never wins._

Was I willing to walk away, knowing what our relationship could be?

The answer was simple. As much as I had been hurt, there was never a choice to make, because I had never stopped caring about him. I knew at that moment that I wouldn't deny our relationship another try. We had the unlikely chance to start over and being with Jasper just felt right.

"Okay, Jasper," I responded, standing up. His face broke out in a wide, happy smile, and my heart leapt at the sight.

"Okay," he agreed as he stood up from the table, "but before we go..." He stepped forward, winding his arms around my waist and tucking his nose into my neck. I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his back, pulling him close to me. His soft curls tickled my cheek and I reveled in the feeling of having him here with me. Placing a light kiss to his cheek, I pulled away, letting my arms fall to my sides.

"What do you say we get out of here?" I asked. Jasper nodded, grabbing our empty cups and heading toward the door.

Huddling together closely against the wind whipping around us, I couldn't deny how good he felt pressed against my side. My fingers twitched, brushing against his and I caught his hand in mine. Jasper looked at me with a smile and I could feel the tension of the last few hours start to drain away when he squeezed my hand.

We reached the lobby of the hotel and Jasper asked if I would rather go to the restaurant or order room service. My response was quick. I wanted to be alone with Jasper.

"Room service."

We took the elevator upstairs and Jasper let go of my hand to pull the room key from his pocket and open the door. "Why don't you grab the menu from the table and take a look while I hit the restroom," he said.

"Sure," I responded, taking off my coat and laying it over the nearest chair. With a deep inhale, I noticed that Jasper's smell had already permeated the room and the familiarity made me want so much from him already. Flipping open the menu on the desk in front of me, I stared down at the choices unfocused, not comprehending anything.

The bathroom door opened and clicked shut, followed by the sound of Jasper padding across the floor behind me. He stopped just short of touching me and my skin began tingling, as if it knew just how close he was.

I knew that it would be up to me to bridge the gap between us. Letting my body slacken, I leaned back into his chest and Jasper's arms immediately wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer as he tucked his chin over my shoulder. "Is this okay, Edward?" he asked.

"God, yes," I responded. It was so much better than okay. It was perfect.

Nuzzling at the skin behind my ear, his breath washed over me as he whispered, "Every day. I missed you every day, Edward." Melting into him completely, I let my head fall back against his shoulder. Jasper softly dragged his lips down my neck and began pressing barely there kisses into my shoulder as his hands settled onto my hips.

It had been so long since I had felt any sort of desire, I hadn't even wanted to jerk off since Jasper left, but now that we were together I was desperate for him. Our connection had always been intense, and after not seeing him for so long, my body thrummed with anticipation.

Slowly, I turned around and wound my arms around his neck. Wetting my bottom lip, I looked into Jasper's eyes, unsure of just what I would find.

What I saw left me breathless. There was clearly lust, but something more as well: longing, care, and more than a touch of eagerness. I couldn't help but lean forward and kiss him.

His breath hitched as my lips pressed against his. Beginning with a few tentative brushes, the kiss quickly escalated into something more passionate as I licked my way into his mouth, slowly winding my tongue around his. Jasper moaned loudly at the contact and brought his hands up to caress my face.

Pressing my body against his, I poured everything that I couldn't tell him into that kiss. All the hurt and pain of the last few weeks, the shock of seeing him at the bar, and the happiness at having him back in my life. Overwhelmed with emotion, I began unbuttoning his shirt as I walked us back toward the bed, needing to claim him as my own.

"Edward, wait," he said, causing me to slow my movements, but not to stop. "This isn't why I brought you here—"

"I know, Jasper." Pulling my lips from his I continued, "I'm doing this because I want to. Because I need you right now, okay?"

Nodding, he began working the buttons on my shirt as well. "Fuck, I want you so much, Edward. I need you, too."

Pushing the shirt off his shoulders, I let my fingers trail down his tanned chest and stomach, before palming his cock through his pants. Latching my lips to his neck, I nipped and kissed the skin there as I undid his belt, shoving my hand into his pants.

"Oh, fuck," he groaned, as I wrapped my fingers around his hot, silky length, stroking him up and down in the confined space. He scrabbled at the button at his waist, struggling to get it undone. The fabric fell into a pool around his ankles, and he toed his shoes off before kicking the pants away. "Let me see you," he whispered, pulling my hand from his black boxer briefs and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Please," he asked when I didn't respond, too caught up in looking at his gorgeous body.

With a small smile, I shrugged my shirt off my shoulders. Leaning forward, Jasper began to place soft kisses against my stomach as he undid my pants and let them fall to the floor. Nuzzling his nose against me, he mouthed at the cotton fabric of my briefs before pulling the elastic down. Burying my fingers in his hair, I softly stroked my thumb across his cheek as he took me into his mouth.

My stomach muscles jerked as the warm wetness enveloped me. Hollowing his cheeks, he took me deep into his mouth before pulling back, fluttering his tongue along the underside of my dick as he moved up and down. Reaching the sensitive fold of skin under the head, he flicked his tongue back and forth against it, creating an intense spike of pleasure to start building deep in my groin.

I wasn't going to last if he kept that up.

"Hold on, Jasper," I said, pulling my hips back. He looked up at me questioningly. "It's been a while," I told him, with a chuckle.

Relief was clear on his face and he wrapped his arms around my waist and responded, "Me too, Edward. There hasn't been anyone since you."

My own relief had me kicking off my shoes and taking off my remaining clothes before removing the rest of Jasper's. Urging him to lie back, he shuffled to the top of the bed before relaxing his head into the pillow. Hungrily, I crawled up after him, settling on my knees between his thighs before curling forward and capturing his lips in a fierce kiss.

Plunging my tongue into his mouth, I desperately tried to reach each hidden corner before pulling back. Moving my lips across his cheek, I kissed down his neck and chest. When I reached his tightened nipple, I flicked at the hard nub before blowing a cool breath on it, causing his skin to cover in goose pimples. "Fuck," he whispered, stomach quivering as I continued to lick my way down his body.

Bypassing his leaking cock, I nibbled at the skin high on his thigh before taking each one of his balls into my mouth and rolling them over my tongue. His hands fisted into the comforter, clenching and unclenching, as if he couldn't decide whether to let me continue at my own pace, or guide me where he wanted me.

Finally, I gave in to him, licking a long stripe from the base to the tip of his cock and sucking the head into my mouth. "Oh, God," Jasper groaned. Unable to keep his hands away any longer, he placed them on my head, fingers tangling in the messy strands of hair. Bobbing up and down, I took more and more of him with each pass. With a quick glance at his face, I saw his gaze heavy with desire, his eyes trained on my every movement. Sucking him down again, I didn't even think he realized he was whispering, "Deep, deep, deep," as I opened my throat and took him all the way down. I couldn't hold him there long, but it was enough to elicit a rough and dirty groan.

Pulling back to take a breath, I watched Jasper reach over to a small bag on the nightstand and pull out some lube, tossing it toward me. "Here," he said, "get me ready." I quirked an eyebrow at him as if he was being presumptuous with me. "Do not fuck with me right now, Edward," he said, his voice serious. "I need your fingers in my ass and that condom on your dick right fuckin' now, ya hear?" I giggled in response, feeling lighter than I had in weeks.

I couldn't help but stretch up and kiss the annoyed look off his face. "Yes, sir," I responded, flicking open the cap and pouring some lube onto my fingers. Jasper looked gorgeous, lying back with his knees splayed open, waiting for me to touch him and I took a moment to admire the sight before an impatient growl urged me on. Reaching between his legs I lightly rubbing my finger back and forth across his hole, working to relax the tight muscle.

"Yeah, put your fingers in there," he said, moaning, "Fuck," when I pushed the tip of my middle finger inside. Moving the digit in and out, I took my time reacquainting myself with his body, slowly fucking him open with my fingers as he writhed beneath me. "Here," he said, pushing the condom into my hands. "I'm ready." My slippery fingers fumbled the wrapper and Jasper sat up, snatching it from my hands. Quickly tearing open the package, he rolled the condom down my dick and added some lube.

Jasper looked into my eyes before pressing a kiss to my lips. "I've missed you so much, Edward," he said. "I can't wait to feel you inside of me." Lying back, he let his thighs fall farther open, a silent invitation inside. Leaning over him, I held myself up on one arm while using the other hand to guide the blunt head of my cock against his hole. Impatient, Jasper wrapped his legs around the back of my thighs, and with a quick squeeze, pushed me inside.

"Fuck, Jasper!" I exclaimed, in surprise, receiving only a smirk from him in response. Steadying myself with both hands on the bed, I began shifting my hips in and out, pushing in a little farther each time until his body gave way and opened to accommodate me.

"Come here," Jasper whispered, wrapping his arms around my neck and pulling my chest against his own. Brushing a wayward curl from his forehead, I pressed my lips against his, snaking my tongue into his mouth as I gently thrust my hips forward. Swallowing the moan that escaped Jasper's lips, I moved my hands to grip under his shoulders before shifting back and forward again..

We moved together slowly at first, his hips rising to meet each one of my thrusts. The slow buildup of pleasure left my body aching for more, but I kept moving steadily, until Jasper's breaths turned into hitching moans.

Lifting myself up to sit back onto my knees, I wrapped my arms around his strong thighs, pulling his hips high onto my lap. Thrusting hard, my cock hit him perfectly, eliciting a filthy sounding moan from his lips. I started driving into him faster, and watched him become a quivering mess underneath me, grasping the comforter between his fingers.

"Fuck, yeah, Edward, just like that. Fuck me," he grunted, as I let one hand trail down his thigh, gripping his hip for leverage. Curls of pleasure wound tighter and tighter in my body with each motion, ready to snap at any second and I grasped at Jasper's neglected cock, stroking it quickly.

"Oh, shit!" he cried. "Oh— Oh shit!" Quickening my movements, I used every last bit of energy I had to bring him over the edge and with a loud keening groan, his body clenched tightly around me before painting his belly with white stripes of cum.

I quickly followed, my whole body tingling with pinpoints of sensation before exploding with pleasure. His body's tight grip on my sensitive dick continued to give pleasure as I shifted in and out of him while coming down, both of us shuddering with each motion.

I leaned forward, Jasper's hands reaching up and guiding my lips to his. Pulling back to look at his gorgeous face, I noticed that his eyes were shining with tears. "Jasper?" I asked, concerned as to what would be wrong. "Jasper, are you okay?" He quickly reached his hand to his face to wipe at his eyes.

"No, no, everything's fine." I gave him a pointed look. "It's stupid," he finally said.

"Please tell me. If you don't, I'll just assume that the sex was worse than you remembered and you've changed your mind about San Francisco."

He barked out a laugh. "That would be pretty lame for me to do with your dick is still inside me."

"But you're not denying it," I responded, keeping my voice light as I pulled out, collapsing on my side next to him.

He smiled softly. "I just... I didn't know if I would ever get to you have you like this again. I hoped, but..." I reached my hand out to Jasper's waist to pull him closer to me, but jerked away when it landed right into a cooling streak of cum.

"Hold that thought for a second." Jasper laughed as I jumped up, pulling off the condom while I headed to the bathroom. Grabbing a washcloth, I wet it with warm water and cleaned the cum and lube off him before settling back down on the bed and snuggling up close.

I waited a moment before telling him, "Jasper, I didn't even know there was a chance that I would be with you again. Now that you're moving here, we have the chance to do things right." I linked my fingers with his and brought our hands to my chest, pressing his against my heart. "We're not gonna screw it up, okay?"

Jasper smiled softly. "Okay." Gathering him in my arms, I pressed a gentle kiss onto his lips, truly content for the first time since he left.

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><p><strong>Please drop me a line and let me know what you thought! There was no way Edward could resist, right?<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Here it is, folks - the epilogue! I apologize again for the long wait, but I hope you guys enjoy it!**

**I absolutely must thank my fabulous beta, cocoalvin. She has been with me through this whole story and her input has been invaluable - thank you so much, bb!  
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**Link for music in this chapter, in case you haven't heard Pony, by Ginuwine: **youtu . be / IVMKQP0K3a0 (remove spaces)

**On Twitter? Come play with me - mrsbeasff!  
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**Disclaimer: I think we all know I don't own, right? But do you think I can put them on layaway? Pleeeeassseeee?  
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><p><em>"Jasper, I didn't even know there was a chance that I would be with you again. Now that you're moving here, we have the chance to do things right." I linked my fingers with his and brought our hands to my chest, pressing his against my heart. "We're not gonna screw it up, okay?"<em>

_Jasper smiled softly. "Okay." Gathering him in my arms, I pressed a gentle kiss onto his lips, truly content for the first time since he left._

~O~

"Goddammit Emmett! I said right, not left!" Jasper yelled, out of breath.

"Your left or my left?" Emmett caught my eye, lips turned up slightly. He was torturing Jasper on purpose, and it was hilarious to everyone except Jasper.

"My left! How many times have I told you my left, not yours!" Jasper growled in frustration. Over the last few months I'd learned that those two acted more like brothers than best friends. That was the third time I had heard this particular conversation between them while we'd been moving Jasper's stuff into my apartment.

"Well, smartass, just like I told you last time, that doesn't make any sense because I'm the one facing forward, while you're facing backward."

"Oh my God," Jasper responded, exasperated, "just hurry up and turn so we can get this stupid mattress into the apartment!"

Once they were in the hallway, Jasper threw the new mattress down with a grunt before looking at me. "Is it beer-thirty yet?" he asked, his eyes pleading.

Brady popped his head around the corner from the living room. "Maybe it would just be easier if you stayed at my place, Jasper," he suggested.

"Nice try," I interrupted, raising an eyebrow in warning.

"Hmph," Brady responded, his voice petulant. "Thanks for nothing, Edward. I don't appreciate your setting me up with an awesome roommate and then snatching him away for yourself. That's so unfair." Brady pushed his lower lip out into a pout.

Walking up to him, I slung my arm over his shoulder. "Don't worry, kiddo. I'm sure that other guy from Craigslist is still available. Remember, he comes with free lap sitting and bedtime story reading too."

Brady rolled his eyes before shimmying away from me. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. You won't think it's so funny when you find my head in a freezer," he yelled, walking away from me to the kitchen.

Laughing, I yelled over my shoulder, "I think it's time for a pizza break. Who's with me?"

"God, yes!"

"Finally!"

"Yes, I'm dying!"

Jasper chimed in, with a mock wounded tone to his voice, "I don't have that much stuff, ya'll!" The group responded with a chorus of grumbles.

A feminine voice rang out from the bedroom. "Jasper, honey, I'm sorry, but I have never met a man with this many pairs of shoes before. I don't know where you think you're gonna wear all those cowboys boots here in the city... are you sure you need them all?"

Jasper turned toward me with a look of horror on his face, and I answered for him. "Yes, Bella, he needs all of them. The cowboy boots are non-negotiable."

Jasper breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fine," Bella said. "I don't need to know about the weird sex fantasy shit you have planned for them." I looked at her pointedly. "Okay, fine. I don't need to know right now, but watch out the next time you're drinking Mr. Tipsy Chatty Cathy."

I heard a squeak from Jasper and ran over to him. "I would never..."

The sound of a top popping off a bottle caught everyone's attention, followed by a distinctly bored voice saying, "I ordered the pizzas ten minutes ago. Beer's in the kitchen; come and get it, everyone!" Concerned by the stampede of footsteps quickly heading in his direction, Seth stepped away from the open twelve-pack and made his way toward me. "I brought one for you," he said, pushing the cold beverage into my hand.

"Thanks, man."

"Well, you did buy it. I figured it was only fair," he said, clinking the neck of his bottle against mine. Lowering his voice, he changed the subject. "Can you believe this is happening?" he asked.

"Not really," I responded, shaking my head. I took a sip of beer before continuing, "I mean, who'd've thought Jasper and I would make it this far?"

_~Six months earlier~_

_When I woke up in Jasper's hotel room the next day, I could hardly believe that it wasn't a dream. It was still early, and Jasper hadn't woken up yet, so I took my time studying him. I had missed Jasper so much, it almost hurt to see him again, and I mentally kicked myself for what I almost let happen due to my stubbornness. I stroked my finger along his cheek, brushing his honey-colored curls away from his face so I could see him better, even though I knew that underneath his beautiful features, there was so much more. Snuggling into his side and laying my head on his chest, I let the soft beat of his heart lull me back to sleep._

_I woke again several hours later to an empty bed and whispering voices._

_"Yeah, just leave it on the table." There was a loud clanging followed by a quiet curse and then silence. "That was close. He sleeps like the dead, huh?"_

_I tried to hide my smile in the pillow. A more formal voice rang out next, "Thank you, sir," before a door opened and closed again._

_There was more shuffling around the room before the side of the bed dipped beneath his weight, and his hand traced along my cheek. "I missed you," he said quietly, leaning down to place a kiss against my forehead. Faking my usual morning grumble, I rolled over, eyes blinking open slowly to see Jasper smiling down at me. Reaching up, I tucked a stray curl behind his ear._

_"Good morning," I said, guiding his head down to mine for a kiss. I tried to deepen it, but Jasper pulled back before I could get anywhere._

_"Nuh, uh. I ordered breakfast and it's gonna get cold if we get things started here. Time to get up!" I pouted for a moment, but was enticed out from the warm bed by the smell of bacon. Pulling my underwear on, I dragged my chair as close to Jasper as possible before sitting down._

_"So, when is your flight?" I asked, tucking into the meal._

_"My plane leaves at six tonight." _

_"Oh," I replied, sad that our reunion would be so short-lived. "When do you start at the company?" I asked, hoping it would be sooner rather than later._

_"About a month. They wanted to give me enough time to wrap everything up in L.A and find a place here." My knee jerk reaction was to offer that he just move in with me, but my rational side knew it was too soon for that. I remembered, though, Brady and his Craigslist listing._

_"Oh, hey! Brady's looking for a roommate. He posted something on Craigslist, but hasn't found anyone he likes."_

_Jasper's eyes lit up. "That would be awesome! I'd much rather live with someone that I kind of know, rather than a total stranger. Do you think he would be okay with it? I mean, after everything?"_

_"Jasper, everyone loves you. They know that I said some really hurtful things—"_

_"Edward—"_

_"No, let me finish, please. We need to talk about this." Looking Jasper in the eye, I pulled his face toward mine for a kiss before continuing. "I know you never said that you were out of the porn business, and my assumption that you were wasn't fair. It completely took me by surprise when you told me that you might do some more work and the thought of you being with someone else..." It still hurt, even though I knew he didn't do anything. I'd never been a particularly jealous person before, but I also had never really been in love. It seemed that little detail made a rather large difference._

_"It's hard to understand," Jasper said quietly, "but that part of my life was very compartmentalized. It had to be, for me."_

_"I'm sure, but then it was also Riley, who we both know has a crush on you, and I couldn't handle it. If I'm going to be completely honest, though, I don't think I would've been able to handle seeing you with anyone else, regardless of who it was." Jasper just nodded, in understanding. "That didn't give me the right to say that what you did wasn't normal. You've had to struggle in a way that I could never imagine, and I didn't mean to trivialize how hard you've had to work to get where you are."_

_Jasper rested his hand on my knee. "I know, Edward."_

_I gave him a small smile in response. "Also, my ego may have gotten in the way just a little bit." Jasper raised his eyebrows in question. "I thought about calling you so many times, but I was scared that you wouldn't want to talk to me. It was easier for me to pretend that I didn't need you in my life," I said, stopping to take a deep breath before continuing, "but it wasn't true."_

_Jasper wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me in close. "Thank you," he whispered. _

_I sat there in his arms, content to bury my face in the warmth of his neck, and realized that I wasn't ready to let him go yet. "Jasper, do you have to go back today?"_

_"What do you mean?" he mumbled into my hair._

_"I mean, do you have anything planned that you need to get back for?" He shook his head. "Stay with me for a couple days? I'll have to work, but we could hang out at night, maybe get together for lunch? And you could meet up with Brady to check out his place too, get a feel for the area." I was babbling, nervous that he wouldn't be up for it._

_There was no reason for me to be nervous, though, because Jasper's lips broke into a wide smile when I finally shut my mouth. "Yeah?" he asked._

_I grinned, before standing up from the table. "Yeah. Come on, let's get you packed up."_

~O~

"Yup," I told Seth, "I'm pretty lucky that things worked out the way they did."

"Yeah, no thanks to you," he snickered, elbowing my ribs.

"Hey!" I said, affronted.

"Come on, you know it's true. That shit was all Jasper."

Rolling my eyes, I conceded. "Fine."

It was true, and I knew that I was beyond lucky that Jasper hadn't given up on me even though I'd given up on him. I couldn't imagine my life without him by my side, and having him in San Francisco was better than anything I had fantasized about. He seamlessly fit into my group of friends and even Peter eventually warmed up to him once he got to know him a little better. Sure, we still had issues to work out, but what couple didn't? I couldn't help but be a little jealous when he was recognized by a fan, which still happened often when we went out in the Castro district.

To be honest, I didn't think Jasper minded the jealousy that much, because it usually led to some pretty intense sex later in the evening.

For the last six months we had lived half out of overnight bags at each other's places. We stayed at mine more often, especially after Brady managed to catch us in more than one compromising position. On nights that we weren't out on the town, my kitchen got more use than ever with Jasper's impressive cooking skills. We'd eat and snuggle and watch TV together, and then wake each other up the next morning with kisses and whispers of love.

It was almost perfect.

Almost.

Living between two different places wasn't always easy. Early on, I had come up with the solution that Jasper move in with me, but he was a little reluctant. I'd have been lying if I said it didn't hurt my feelings when he said that he wanted us to wait, but I also knew that it was my fault he was wary.

I waited though, and proved to him that I wasn't going anywhere, even after our first argument. Jasper had been in San Francisco around three months when he was approached by someone at a club while we were dancing–a fan. Jasper was gracious, and politely declined the guy's offer for a blowjob in back. I was less so, and got thrown out of the club after starting a fight.

Not my finest moment but Jasper and I worked through it, because even though sometimes it was still hard for me to reconcile the amazing man at my side with his past, I was never going to let him go because of it.

Once our group of friends made their way through the beer, they raided the liquor cabinet, which was severely depleted over the next few hours. Emmett was the first to leave, dragged out the door kicking and screaming by Rosalie. As I sat on the couch, resting my tired body, Jasper was hugging Brady, who was the last to leave, at the door and whispering something to him that I couldn't hear. They had become quite close over the last few months, and I knew that friendship would continue to grow, even though they no longer lived together. Finally, I heard the door shut and Jasper came sauntering into the living room, his limbs loose with alcohol, and sidled up next to me on the couch.

"Welcome home, baby," I said, landing a light peck on his cheek.

"Hmm," he groaned. "I like the way that sounds. What should we do our first night at home together?" His voice was painted with suggestion.

"I don't know. Are you sure you aren't too tired, babe?" I asked, only half-joking. My body felt exhausted from carrying all those boxes up the staircase.

He looked at me, insulted by the insinuation. "Too tired? You better watch what you're saying, old man." Poking his finger into my chest, he concluded, "I'm never too tired for you, and that's a fact."

"Is it really?" I asked, egging him on.

"Oh, that's it," he replied, standing up. "You sit right there and I'll show you tired." As he walked toward the bedroom, I could hear him muttering under his breath.

I let my eyes blink closed for just a moment and the next thing I knew, Jasper was tapping me on the shoulder. "M'awake, m'awake," I said, opening my eyes slowly.

Jasper leaned in closely and whispered into my ear, "Don't worry, you will be in just a second." As he turned and walked toward the stereo I noticed that he had slipped on his cowboy hat, along with a more fitted pair of jeans.

I was suddenly a lot less interested in sleep.

He walked into the kitchen and pulled a chair into the middle of the living room. Grasping my hand, he led me off the couch and onto the chair. With a flick of his hand, he turned on the stereo and the opening bars of "Pony" came through the speakers.

I hadn't heard the song in at least ten years. "Is this Ginuwine?"

"You bet your ass it is," he said. He started to wriggle his hips in front of me, dragging his fingers over his t-shirt covered abs. I reached my hand out toward his hip to pull him closer, but Jasper playfully batted my hand away before saying, "Ah, ah, ah. You know the rules. I can touch you, but you can't touch me." He raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response from me.

I nodded in assent.

"Good," he continued, "because I wouldn't want to stop the show because you couldn't control yourself, Mr. Cullen." He put his hat on my head for a moment before whipping his shirt off. My fingers itched to bury themselves in his curls, or touch the ridges of his stomach muscles, but I kept my hands clenched by my sides as he placed the hat back on his head.

"Hmm," he said, I think I might need a little help with this belt, though. What do you think, sir, can you help me get it undone?" Reaching up, I carefully pulled the leather from the buckle, and I couldn't help but let the backs of my fingers graze along the hard bulge in his pants. He looked down at me with a smirk. "Looks like we've got a naughty boy here, huh? I like that, but I think I'll take care of the rest of this on my own."

Jasper continued to move his hips seductively as he slowly unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, pulling them open to show nothing underneath. He slowly pulled the fabric down over his hips, letting his cock spring out before stepping out of them, carelessly tossing them to the side. Straddling my legs, his dick bobbed in front of my face and I desperately wanted to peek my tongue out for a little lick, but rules were rules.

I couldn't touch.

Looking up at him, I was sure the desperation was clear on my face, but the bastard just stroked my cheek and whispered, "Good boy," as he sat down on my lap.

In the background, cheesy music from the late nineties played.

_You're horny, let's do it, ride it, my pony_

_My saddle's waiting, come and jump on it_

There was something unbelievably erotic about him being completely naked while I was fully clothed. Gripping the back of the chair, Jasper rolled his body, pressing his chest against mine briefly before laying back, hand holding onto his hat so it wouldn't fall off. Quickly, he lifted his body back up, grinding his ass against my very, very hard cock. A groan escaped my lips, and Jasper leaned in whispered, "Can I ride your pony, babe?"

"Fuck, yes," I growled, reaching out for him. He quickly grabbed my arms and pushed them back against my sides.

"Not yet," he chastised, standing up. He turned around, taunting me again as he swayed his hips back and forth. Facing away from me, Jasper sat on my lap, stretching his back against the front of my chest before slithering down the length of my torso, dipping between my legs and dropping to his knees.

Turning around, Jasper smiled at me as he unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans, pulling my cock out. He placed his hat back on my head and said, "Take care of that for me, will ya?" Before I could answer, he sucked the tip of my cock into his mouth. I gripped the seat of my chair tightly to stop my hands from wandering into his curls.

Jasper's tongue fluttered along the length of my dick as he bobbed up and down, taking me deeper with each pass. My whole body shuddered when he reached the base, and I couldn't help but moan out his name. Reaching his hands into the waist of my jeans and boxers, he dragged them down my thighs and pulled them off my legs. The familiar click of a lube cap followed, and a moment later Jasper brought his slick hand up and wrapped it around my cock. With his other hand, he snatched the hat off my head and placed it back on his own.

Standing up, Jasper straddled me again, pulling my shirt over my head and tossing it into the corner. He squeezed a little more lube out onto his fingers before they disappeared behind him, and then he grasped my length and held it straight as he slowly sank down. We had stopped using condoms recently and the feeling of his body wrapped around me with no barrier still made me come apart quickly.

My hands were gripping the chair, knuckles turning white with the effort to not touch. Finally Jasper pried my fingers off the seat and settled them on his hips. "Now you can touch," he said.

"Fucking thank God," I responded, tightening my grip on his hips. After giving him a few moments to adjust I started to thrust into him, his breath hitching each time my dick dragged against his prostate.

"I'd better hold on," he panted, wrapping his arms around my neck. "It looks like this ride might get a little wild." Smiling, he lowered his mouth to mine, claiming my lips in a fierce kiss.

Jasper began rolling his hips against my thrusts and I quickly felt my body begin to tingle with pleasure. I reached down to his cock and began to stroke him along with my thrusts, needing to bring him closer to coming.

"Mmm, yeah, darling, just like that," he said, trying to bury his face in my neck, but blocked by the brim of his hat. His fingernails dug into my shoulder with frustration and he whispered, "Close," into my ear.

"You're close?" I asked, speeding up my hand. He nodded and moaned instead of answering and I shortened my thrusts, quickening my movement to bring Jasper over the edge.

Jasper cried out and I felt a warm pulse of cum hit my chest. Stroking him through the rest of his release, I desperately tried to hold off on my own, wanting my focus entirely on him. A shudder ran through his body as I continued to stroke his sensitive cock.

Jasper leaned forward and planted a kiss on my cheek, groaning his satisfaction. "Your turn" he purred, starting to roll his hips again. "Come on, fuck me, baby."

I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him tightly as I fucked into his hole. So close already, pleasure coiled in my body, twisting tighter and tighter until it snapped, running through my body in waves as I came deep inside of him.

As I leaned in toward Jasper for a kiss, a pang of emotion swelled in my chest, almost overwhelming me with the love I felt. Everything about him fit me just right and I was unbelievably lucky that I would get to wake up to him every morning, and go to sleep with him every night. In that moment everything in my life was perfect. Reaching my hands up, I gripped the back of his head in my hands, pulling him close and said, "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you, too," he replied, his voice soft. "Now how about we hop in the shower before bed?"

"Sounds perfect, love," I said, scratching my fingers against the nape of his neck reverently.

We showered quickly, and made a naked dash under the covers. Snuggling up into my side, Jasper hummed contentedly and said, "This is nice. Is this what normal people do?" he asked, with a joking tone in his voice.

Still, I bristled at his choice of word. Turning toward Jasper, I reached for his face, cradling his cheeks in my hands. "Jasper," I said, my voice serious, wanting to settle this once and for all. "You are anything but normal. You are an amazing partner, an extraordinary person, and I love you more than anything. I'll never forgive myself for making you feel like you weren't good enough when we started dating, but I'll also never stop trying to show you how important you are to me. Okay, love?"

Jasper looked away shyly and said, "I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"Hey, it's okay. I just want to make sure you know that you're the only one for me." I cleared my throat and tried to put on a Texas accent. "Ya got that, pardner?"

Giggling, Jasper shook his head. "Oh, I got it, but please, please don't ever do that again."

"What? You're not a fan of my accent?" I asked, pretending to be shocked. "You don't think I could fit in down in Texas with all those cowboys, y'all?" Climbing over Jasper, I pinned him with my weight as I reached in into the nightstand.

"Babe, I don't think you'd fit in, but you'd look mighty fine trying."

"Hmph," I replied, pulling out the plane tickets I had recently purchased to celebrate our first year together. "I guess we'll have to go here instead, then." Placing the envelope on his chest, Jasper looked confused before opening it up.

"Vegas?" he asked, eyes crinkling with his smile. "Really?"

"I'm thinking you, me, a blackjack table—"

"And a discreet handjob?"

"Perhaps." I laughed. "We'll see where the evening takes us," I said, pressing my lips to his cheek. "What do you think?"

"This is awesome, Edward. What a great surprise."

"Are you sure you're ready to return to the scene of the crime, though?" I teased.

"Only crime that weekend was letting you go home. You remember what I told you when we met?"

"What's that, love?" I asked, even though I already knew what he was going to say.

Jasper wrapped his arms around my waist and brought his lips to my ear, sending a shiver down my spine with his honey-tinged drawl. "Scared money never wins, darlin'."

"You've got that right," I replied, with a smile, "and this time I'll be sure not to forget it."

_The End_

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><p><strong>*sniffles* I can't believe it's over!<strong>

**If you've been reading and enjoying the chapters, but haven't left a review, I would love to know what you thought about how the boys ended up. For everyone that's been reviewing all along, thank you so much! Your reviews have meant so, so much to me! I'm not promising any outtakes, but I know it will be tough to let these boys go, so it's definitely a possibility, if you want to keep me on alert. Thanks, guys!  
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